I got captured by Deidara
by Terrier Zii
Summary: Some people might give up when they get captured by Sranked criminals...not me! For the betterment of humanity I plan to go down fighting! Never underestimate the power of idiocy and people like me in extraordinary situations...! DeidaraXOC
1. Chapter 1

_----- I got Captured by Deidara -----_

_----- By: Terrier.Z -----_

_----- Chapter One: While good fortune always eludes, misfortune never misses. -----_

_I was struggling to retain my consciousness as I plummeted like a stone toward the vast forest beneath me. Death was inescapable now. The generic trees were becoming more and more defined as I rushed toward them. Air was screaming past me. I squeezed my eyes shut against the sting of the roaring wind and inhaled one last time. The natural aromas of the forest were faint in comparison to the overpowering scent of smoke and charred flesh- my charred flesh. Daring to peek through an eye, I could almost make out the outline of individual leaves in the tree's canopies. _

_Really I would have preferred a different death- who wouldn't? Maybe something more heroic, but then again, lately, there was a lot of thing I would have done differently. My heart panged at the thought of all the things I had yet to do, things I regretted, and promises unfulfilled. I never even got to say a proper goodbye to everyone. I wish I could have least done that. What an idiot I was._

_A branch bare of any leaves strut wickedly into the sky- I was headed right for it. My jaw was clamped painfully shut so I wouldn't go down screaming. My mind was racing, and all my muscles were instinctively bracing for impact. The bone white branch snagged into my good arm, that I was using to shield my head, and ripped into my flesh. As the full weight of my body came down onto the branch, it cracked with a deafening sound. _

_A part of my mind clicked; I had done this before. I had a clear mental snap shot of that branch in my head, those smells, this. Odd last thoughts; to remember your death before it happens. Maybe I was making it up, as distraction from my painful reality. I wracked my brain for the word. Desperately searching as if the word would miraculously dispel this and prove it is just some contorted illusion. Peering through my mass of tangled hair, that was mimicking Medusa's; I caught sight of a tangle of briars- my landing zone. I was only mere feet away from my death, the mass of brambles, when I recognized the word I was searching for; Déjà vu. _

Gasping I lurched upright flinging both my arms forward, in a vain attempt to ward off the oncoming branches. After a moment of agonizingly waiting to be shredded to ribbons by the bramble, I realized three things. First my wrists were bound together by a metal chain. Second were there should have been that mass of branches and thorns, there was only the night air; heavy like a thick blanket. And lastly even though my eyes were wide open I couldn't see a thing. A blindfold blocked my vision. I struggled to fully awaken and throw off the last hold my disturbing dream had on me. That dream had been over the top, though it was very unusual for me to have bizarre dreams, but still…

Something shifted in the darkness near me. I froze- my little waking up panic might have cause quite the disturbance in the peaceful night. After another agonizingly long moment of intently listening I decided that the something was a _someone_.

They were breathing heavily- still asleep. They were near me too, maybe an arm's length away. Whoever it was they weren't the good guy. Good guys- the heroes- don't capture and blindfold civilians. I pushed away the thought that maybe retiring from being a ninja wasn't such good idea. I tried to calm my nerves and use what little training I had acquired to help myself. I concentrated and filtered through the layers of dusty memories back to when I had been sitting in class, discussing what you should do if captured.

Analyze the situation. Hands are tied together by a chain; not likely that I'd be able to break through it. Blindfolded. Sitting in grass which means I'm no longer in the desert. It's nighttime; the lack of light filtering through my blindfold signaled that. I had been out of it for a while then.

Franticly, I searched my brain for clues on what had happened. It was morning, our caravan had been trekking across the desert; I had been lazily seated in the back of a wagon, reading. Then a strange shape had been spotted in the sky by the ninja escort.

Panic erupted. I climbed out of the wagon and stared at the clear, blue sky. A shadow swooped overhead and I instinctively crouched down and then moved under the wagon. It was probably the one good move I made that morning-it saved my life. From my vantage point I saw the blond headed figure on what looked to be a bird - summoned maybe - had thrown several objects at the caravan. I could tell they weren't metal, there was no sun glinting off their surface. I was squinting to see what they were, when they exploded overhead.

The explosions effectively demolished the caravan. People started screaming and running in panic. Wood splintered and flew through the air and then imbedding itself in what ever got in its way. Luckily, the wagon I was under didn't get a direct hit. It held up pretty well as it shielded me from the debris, and more importantly stopped me from easily being able to escape and panic. If I had panicked I would have been killed then and there. I cowered under the shelter of the wagon as several new explosions were set off.

This time one went off near me. I was thrown back by the force of the explosion, the wagon I was under shattered and collapsed. I lay there, too much of a daze to respond and try to escape, when a heavy wooden beam that had survived the explosions fell on me. The weight of the beam landed on my right shoulder; pinning me to the ground. Several charred bodies lay scattered around nearby- the smell in the air was sickening.

Vaguely I remember the attacker coming over smirking and say something to me- or maybe it was to himself. It was his voice which prompted me to presume it was a he; up until he spoke I had thought it was a women.

I mulled over what I had gathered of my situation in the darkness. The blond was most likely the person next me. The thought that he was also way above my skill level scared me. But what scared me the most was that I had not been killed like the rest of my company, but taken captive. It meant I had something of value to him. Or at least he _thought_ I did. I couldn't decide whether that was good thing or not. On the plus side, yes, I was alive…but for how much longer once he got what he wanted. Or realized I had nothing to give?

Nothing included my skill as a shinobi. My chances of winning a fight with someone fully trained were slim to none. My taijutsu skills would be weak and slow in comparison, like fighting a slug. Ninjutsu was at a basic level and genjutsu I had never had luck with. Hopeless was what I was! I didn't even have any weapons with me-not including my teeth and nails. I can always bite him.

I gave a heavy sigh, my shoulders rose and fell. A searing pain in my right shoulder shattered my concentration. Damn it- that beam actually injured me! On top of everything else I couldn't use my dominant arm! I must have committed dozens of murders in a past life; because while good fortune always eludes me misfortune never seems to miss.

Half of me wanted the blondie to wake up, half of me was hoping he wouldn't. I sat there, glowering at his sleeping figure in the increasing morning light. I probably should have been making an escape attempt or working on removing the blindfold...I didn't. All I did was pout in the dark trying to pin someone to blame for my misfortune.

I had pinned three things- and was thoroughly annoyed at three things- by the time whoever it was next to me woke up. One was the paid shinobi escort our trading caravan had employed – they didn't do a thing in the end;_ I_ could have been more useful. Next was myself for (not the first time) ever being lazy when I was fourteen and deciding that being a ninja required too much effort and pain on my part. And lastly was the obvious; who ever attacked and kidnapped me. And now that attacker was (groggily by the sounds of it) starting to rejoin the world of consciousness.

"Looks like your already awake then, hm"

My body went into lock down. I forced my head to not involuntarily swivel toward his voice- definitely a he unless they were faking their voice. I was going to ignore him for as long as possible.

"I'm surprised, hm! You haven't tried to run off at all." I could almost hear the smirk in his voice "Not that I mind though, hm."

Mentally I kicked myself for being a good, cooperative captive. By then I had decided by then that I had to put up some sort of fight. If they were going to be hold me captive I was going to try to make myself into the biggest and most annoying problem they would ever face.

-----End-----

----- Word Count: 1,587-----

A/N: Hey, everyone! Thank you for reading this far. I hope you enjoyed it and will read the rest of my story! And of course reviews are still nice to read.

Almost forgot! Any chapter with a title and word count I have gone back and edited. Of course there will still mistakes, but hopefully there's a lot less! Oh, and special thanks to Thumper for helping with edits!

-_Terrier_


	2. Chapter 2

_----- I got Captured by Deidara -----_

_----- By: Terrier.Z -----_

_----- Chapter Two: I forgot what I originally named this chapter. -----_

I pretended to not have heard him. I couldn't think of any other way to be non-cooperative so I settled on giving him the silent treatment. Which may back fire if he wanted me to be quiet.

"You _are _awake right, hm?" After I gave no reply for several seconds he reached down and shook my right shoulder. "Hey, get up already, hm!"

Bad move. The pain shot through my body, it felt like a hot knife was being driven into the side of my shoulder. With a yelp my body twisted away and I kicked my right foot up. I wasn't trying to kick him. It was more of a knee-jerk reaction. As my foot jerked up it meet his shin- he must have been crouching down- with a satisfying _thwack_. He gave a grunt of surprise and (I couldn't make out his exact motions, but I think) he fell backward. Cursing he re-gathered himself then proceeded to violently seize my shoulder. I yelped again and withered away in pain, after an agonizingly long moment he released me with a sigh. I fell backward into the prickly grass.

"You hurt yourself, hm." It was not a question.

Geez, state the obvious. I wasn't going to be able to ignore him for long- what else could I do? Settling on developing an attitude problem, I nestled down into a new mind set.

"_I_ hurt myself?"

"Yea, your humerus might be fractured, hm."

My eyes widen in surprise that he sounded as if he was sincerely answering my question. I wonder what his expression was like. A fractured humerus sounded serious though. I was pretty sure that was the bone in the upper arm. I scrambled to word my reply.

"Well I knew _that_, I am not masochistic, but… I seem to recall that _you_ hurt me with your little fireworks display back there. " My voice dripped with sarcasm.

His voice turned sour. "Yea? Well I suggest you not move your shoulder about, hm. We need you in good condition, hm. What is your name anyway?"

I didn't miss the '_we' _part. That was bad -really bad. It turned my slim chance of escape into no chance at all. One guy I could eventually get away from, but a _whole group._ Doomed. That's what I was; doomed.

I perked up though. Maybe perk is the wrong word. My mind started clicking things into place faster and formulating a plan. He did not know my name. That was good – I think. He couldn't harm my family or village. My heart squeezed as I thought of the next time I might be seeing them again –_ if_ ever again. Also, if he didn't know my name he certainly didn't know much about me. Then _why_ did he kidnap me?

He continued speaking. "Well not good condition. Just alive and functioning normal, hm."

He gave my shoulder a good kick as if to prove his point. That was it. My shoulder gave way from the abuse with a sickening _**crack. **_This was bad. I _hate_ pain. I utterly loath being in pain. I am basically helpless when I'm in pain. I quit training for the chuunin exams and gave up on being a shinobi because I hated pain. More then that I fear being in pain. At the moment that topped my list for disadvantages. I was certainly going to be in a lot of pain in the near future. Breathe in… breathe out. Don't panic. I heaved my self up- had to maintain some dignity. This guy was definitely going to get it once I got free.

"You name, hm?"

"Give me a minute here; I think you broke my arm."

I was amazed I sounded so calm. Hell, I was amazed I could even talk at the moment. I felt my stomach churning. Breathe in, breathe out. Swallowing the lump in the back of my throat I lied.

"Since I assume were going to be spending a lot of time in each others company. I'll forgo the lying… if you tell me your name first."

I was facing the direction of his voice. It occurred to me he might really know my name, but is just toying with me out of boredom. But I at least wanted something to call him besides 'him'. He hesitated before answering.

"Deidara, pleased to meet you, hm." Pleased to meet you, was he going to tip his hat too? It rolled off his tongue like he practiced saying it a lot. What kind of person kidnaps you and says _that?_

The psychopathic kind.

So he had a name now. I got captured by Deidara. But besides that I had nothing else. No village, no reason, no escape, no hope. He was waiting for an answer. Lie. I put on a noticeably fake smile and lied.

"So _wonderful_ to meet you too. I'm –"Name I need a name. Name, names think of a name. I couldn't think of any name that sounded right for me - except my own. Breathe in, breathe out. I was getting clammy. I started to panic he must be noticing. A bead of sweat rolled down from my forehead. Uhg! I'm all clammy this isn't going to work! Clammy, clammy I'm all clammy. Concentrate name I need a name. Clammy... Err... Clary! That's a name- I think. I hope. It better be for my sake.

"I'm Clary?" It sounded like a question. Not like I was introducing myself.

Tensely, I waited for his response. Hysteria was edging in on my mind. Breathe in, breathe out. The pain I had managed to ignore was coming back. Pain, pain, throbbing horribly in my arm. Go away Deidara. I really wished I could have seen his expression, it could have told me whether he believed me or not. Stupid blind fold. My pause hadn't been to long. It's amazing how fast you think when you have an adrenaline rush.

"Clary, hm?"

I hoped to hell that my next sentence would sound natural and not fabricated.

"Yea, Clary," Err last name? Come on adrenaline rush. Ha! Rush that a last name. "Rusher."

Cursing myself for sounding like an idiot, I smiled at him. He snorted at me and walked away. I listened for a moment as he began to pack up camp, then collapsed into the itchy grass. I couldn't keep the pain at bay any longer. My head swam and if my eyes had been open I believe my vision would have been blurry and starting to black out. I couldn't feel anything, but the pain in my right arm. A light breeze felt wonderful to my sweaty and sticky skin.

Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. Calm, stay calm. This hurts- this really, _really_ hurts. Shut up! I need to not concentrate on that. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. I flexed my right hand tentatively. I winced and choked the roaring pain back down. Breathe in, breathe out. It became a mantra to keep the pain away. Breathe in, breathe out. He had broken my right arm's upper bone. What had he called? The humerus? Breathe in, breathe out. I looked over at my arm then remembered I had a blind fold on. Probably a good thing, if I had been able to see my arm I would have thrown up. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out.

The rustling sounds from beyond me stopped. I heard his foot steps approaching. Breathe in, breathe out. And though I knew it wasn't going to be, I mentally lied to myself. '_Breathe in, breathe out. Everything is going to be __**ok**_ '

-----End-----

----- Word Count: 1,282 -----


	3. Chapter 3

_----- I got Captured by Deidara -----_

_----- By: Terrier.Z -----_

_----- Chapter Three: Spontaneous Human Combustion- Run for the Hills and Hide! -----_

Some people are uncomfortable with the silence; they feel the need to break it with continual chatter. For me silence is welcome comfort, on the most part, from the fast paced world. I can think clearly in silence. Today wasn't a normal day by any means.

The silence had a strangle hold on my sanity- and was slowly squeezing it out of me. I didn't really register the personality differences in myself until much later through.

Deidara had packed up camp and waited a little bit, pacing around camp. At first I thought he wasn't sure what do next -that wasn't the case. He was waiting for someone to arrive. Definitely a bad thing. I was hoping that Deidara's friends would stay out of my predicament; give me _some_ chance of escaping. My hoping was foiled when Deidara had muttered something about 'The irony of someone who hates waiting, being late, hm!'

I couldn't decide what had irritated me more. The prospect that I was now going to be in the company of _two_ highly skilled shinobi or what Deidara did next. He sat down right next to me; if my hands hadn't been tied I am sure I would have slapped him. The enemy isn't supposed to just casually sit down next to you. I bet he was taunting me.

My hands itched with the urge to slap- no _kill_ him. Which is surprising since I'm not really a violent person. At least he hadn't tried to talk –yet. I wasn't sure if I could restrain myself if he decided to start a conversation on the weather or how my arm was doing.

My arm hurt- my arm really, really hurt. I had managed to keep the pain at bay by having my mind ramble on about inconsequential things. After my train of thought hit a brick wall I turned to examining my childhood memories. They were distant though and it brought the reality of my situation crashing down, tugging my heart down toward my stomach.

Swallowing I found that my throat was parched. My stomach was grumbling too. I was starving. My last meal had been on the evening before I left Sunagakure. The next morning just before breakfast Deidara had attacked. Now it was the morning after that, if he didn't feed me soon I was going to starve. What a mess I got myself into.

I suppose that you need to know a little bit more about me for my story to make sense.

Takigakure was the village of my birth. I had normal, happy, successful childhood. I had my fair share friends and rivalries amongst the other students and eventually Genins. We all were so engaged in our own little bubble-wrapped world, we didn't realize what being a shinobi meant. What risks we were taking or the long term obligation. I realized; or rather my bubble got popped. It happened right before the Chuunin Exams; one of my teammates got maimed. I still shudder when I think about what he looked like in the hospital several weeks later.

Thirteen at the time I acted on a whim and retired from active service as a shinobi. Later I convinced myself that I had better things to do then run around throwing stuff at 'enemies'. I guess now it's safe to admit that I was scared. Scared about being injured in battle, scared for my life. It wasn't like I would be a huge loss; at best I might have gotten to be a Chunin. I would have been an average shinobi- cannon fodder. My only talent was my ability to hide. I can't run, but I can sure hide. Not very helpful now that I was already caught.

My skills and reflexes were dull from lack of use over five years – I recently turned nineteen. Now I worked as agent for my Aunt's medicinal herb business. I had been returning from a trip to Sunagakure delivering plant seeds when Deidara decided I had something of great enough value to attack the caravan I had been traveling with.

What did he want with me anyway? In my pants? He sure wasn't going to go any where with that I'd gleefully kick him in his face. If he tied my ankles together I would bite him. A gag might be a problem though. Damn him, damn all of his associates too! I had better things to do with my life then idly sit here awaiting certain doom. Damn, damn…

"Damn!" Oops, I wasn't supposed to say that out loud. This might be trouble…err more trouble.

"Hm?"

"I said 'Damn'. Do you have a problem with that?"

"That depends on what you're condemning, hm."

"What if I said you? Damn – no fuck you!"

"Hey, hey that's not nice, hm, what did I-"

At that point I couldn't stifle a laugh. It hurt my injured shoulder terribly in the process. But laughing felt good right now so I would deal with the pain and hope that I wasn't further disconnecting my arm. I would like to have my arm intact when this ordeal is over.

"To start with you massacred innocent people. I might have been in a worse state then a drunken ballerina but they looked pre-ty dead to me. Second you kidnap me. Third you blind fold me and tie my wrists together. Well I guess that goes along with the kidnapping thing but still... So third you needlessly further break my arm. Fourth you- you… I can't think of something but it is probably your fault. You deserve a slap, hell you deserve much worse then that! Once I figure out how to get out you're going down you bastard!"

I would have given him a kick too, but I was afraid of failing and looking further like an idiot. Or the fact that he might get mad. That would be an issue too. The silly blindfold; once again it stopped me from registering his reaction- a total nuisance. It left me free to imagine what he looked like though. My only picture of him was when I was past halfway to being unconscious. He had long blond hair and Deidara was also wearing a dark colored cloak with some sort of red picture imprinted on it. His snickering brought me back from my thinking to the gloomy reality.

"I guess I deserve that, hm." He shifted closer. I edged away. "But you know, hm. I'm not really all _that_ bad."

He was leaning closer, a lock of his golden colored hair fell on my cheek. I resisted the urge to blow it away- into his smug face. I wasn't sure I wanted to push Deidara to much- though poking his buttons was fun. I leaned away from him, I like my personal space.

"I beg to differ- wait let me rephrase that I'm not going to beg." I was surprised I sounded so calm and bold. And sarcastic.

"It's just bad circumstances, hm. If we'd met in another place at another time...You don't know what we could have gotten our selves into, hm..."

"Baking cupcakes? Maybe…But since we didn't …You bad! Go away! Shoo! Your invading my personal space!" I blew a puff of air into his face to help get the point across.

"You don't really beat around the bush much do you Clary?" He mumbled.

I took me a moment to register that he thought was calling me by my name. It's odd to be called by an alias. If I wanted to survive I was going to have to get use to being called Clary.

Clary, Clary, Clary. I drilled it into my head. My name is Clary Rusher now. Where was Clary born? I decided on Suna because I had been in the desert at the time he caught me. What did Clary do? Clary would be a shinobi, a genin escorting a trading caravan. No, that wouldn't work; genin aren't nineteen. I'll be an extraordinarily under skilled Chunin instead! Maybe Deidara was strong enough that he wouldn't notice a difference... He must be a Jonin to have been sent to attack an escorted caravan all by his lonesome.

Deidara had leaned in much closer during my mind's rambling. _Much_ to close. His body was pressing into mine. His breath was blowing into my face- it smelled surprisingly good. He smelled nice too. I liked his scent- still do. I had to mentally slap myself to stop from sniffing his shoulder. God! What was happening to me?

"Relax; you're all tense Clary, hm."

He stroked the side of my face; his hot breath was swirling in my face. Deidara's other hand tucked a lock of hair, that had escaped my hair tie, behind my ear. The other arm was reaching around my back and scooting me forward. Heat was radiating off both our bodies- spontaneous combustion seemed more and more viably possible. My broken arm lagged behind the rest of me and brought me back to reality much better then my mental slap had.

"Ow! You know, if you want to earn brownie points with me, you'll have better luck by doing _something_ about my arm."

He sighed and backed off. Good now if he went all the way back to whatever hole he crawled out of that would be even better. A regular holiday.

"Fine, I guess I can bind your arm, hm." He sounded annoyed.

He moved over to where his - luggage would be the right word, I guess- and started to dig through them to find medical supplies. In the mean time I relaxed and tried to picture what I looked like at the moment for amusement.

No doubt my usually tame hair was in total disarray. My miniature ponytail was coming loose, and the shorter layers of hair were going in all different directions. My hair cut was the product of letting my good friend Ami cut my hair; she was a good person and friend, but needed to rein in her creative ideas a little better.

The outfit I had selected had been a slouch around the house all day –or in my case caravan wagon- one. It was in need of tailoring; I constantly stepped on the kaki pants hem. And the black hoodie though comfy was a size or two too big for petite little me; it was like wearing a blanket every where. The tank top underneath was the only thing suitable for going out in public. No one said that you had to look good to be a prisoner, there's no manual or anything. At least I would be comfy during confinement.

I frowned when I thought of something. If Deidara was going to bind my arm- I'm not sure what it would involve- but it would require my sweater to come off to expose my arm. I was hiding in my sweater; it was sort of comforting like a teddy bear or a hug. Taking it off would make me feel vulnerable- exposed… but… to get it off he would have to free my hands from the chains.

My heart nearly leapt out of my chest. Once my arms were free I could take off the obnoxious blind fold and then make a run for it! I had tried to rub the blind fold off of my face but it wouldn't budge. And though I could make a run for it at anytime my chance of success would multiply if I wasn't running headfirst into every tree.

I speculated and refined my escape plans as Deidara rummaged through his supplies. I would be cooperative through the procedure, but as soon as he was done putting a splint on my arm I would make a run for it. I needed a distraction though. I would kick him were it hurts, and then run past him into the woods I was facing. I would have already taken off my blind fold and I could faster by using chakra. Deidara would be faster then me, I could guess that much and he could use bird to fly around. He probably also had an arsenal of weaponry and jutsu. Ok, so I was hopeless, but if I could get a head start and then hide I might – just might- have a chance. At any rate it would piss him off and any chance to be disruptive I was taking no matter what the consequences.

Deidara seemed to find what ever he had been looking for and was stepping back to were I was settled. I mentally grinned and reviewed my plan. As Deidara sat down next to my injured arm I could barley hide my chagrin as my plan went into action.

-----End-----

----- Word Count: 2,127 -----


	4. Chapter 4

_----- I got Captured by Deidara -----_

_----- By: Terrier.Z -----_

_----- Chapter Four: Psychopaths- are People I Relate To-----_

I was absolutely thrilled when Deidara had unlocked the chains that wrapped around my wrists- my escape plan was unfolding perfectly! I pretended to be a good little captive and play along; I took off my oversized hoodie, a rather difficult and painful process with only one working arm. After winning the battle to get my sweater off I pretended to stare off into space. In reality I was paying close attention to my surroundings and maneuvering things to my advantage. When I reached with my good arm to merely scratch my head I was actually fidgeting with the knotting in my blindfold. I had gotten it loose enough that I was pretty sure it was in danger of sliding off my face.

Deidara had straightened the upper arm bone -the humerus he called it- into what I was assuming, and hoping, was the correct position for it to heal in. Then he had used rolls of bandage to wrap it into place. Technically it was a poor job, but for the moment I was happy enough with it. I had long since grown accustomed to the constant banging throb in my arm, if there ever was a spike in pain I'd stay calm and wait it out using my anti-pain mantra 'Breathe in, breathe out'. It worked well enough.

Deidara was finishing with my arm and talking about how I shouldn't move it much. Well duuur, it hurts too much to move it anyway. This had me concerned; if I was planning to run away my arm would be moving quite a bit. _Ow._ While Deidara chattered on I was only half listening to what he was saying though. Well maybe only one-fourth. The other three-fourths of me were back in shinobi mode. I had dredged up every thing I could think of from my training; chakra control, weaponry throwing, the basic jutsu.

Maybe it wouldn't be enough, but it was worth a shot though. If manage to escape then hell yeah! In his face! If I didn't…well I'd have tried my best and I was most likely going to be dying anyway. Oh well, so much for positive attitude.

He was standing up. My muscles tensed and quivered with anticipation. Deidara dusted his hands off on his cloak, making a _pat-pat_ sound. This was it.

Ready. I heaved my weight onto my good hand.

Set. I pushed off the ground then rapidly folded into a crouched stance, like a cat ready to pounce.

And…

GO! I lunged forward ripping my blind fold off and hurtling into a bewildered Deidara.

I took in my surroundings. We were in a small clearing surrounded by the dense woods and underbrush. The sun shone brightly down in patches through the tree's canopy. Deidara had a small heap of equipment piled precariously next to a tree – what did he need so much stuff for? Deidara himself had the funniest expression playing across his features; a mix between surprise, anger and annoyance, also maybe amusement at the fact that I was about to hit him head on.

At the last second I pulled back and intentionally fell backwards. Using reflexes I was sure I would have forgotten by now, I caught myself on my good arm. The impact rattled my make-shift cast; I grit my teeth against the pain. I swung my right leg out, hooking it behind his ankle. As I jerked my foot back I sent Deidara tumbling to the ground. Using the momentum of my right leg coming back, and a heave from my left arm I got back to an upright position. Before Deidara had time to register what was going on I had pushed off and was sprinting for the cover of trees ahead of me.

Pumping chakra to my feet let me run faster that normal. As soon as my foot would touch the ground I would send a pulse of chakra into it. The result was me ripping through the forest's undergrowth with little disregard to the branches and thorns trying to tear me apart. It did snag and scratch my arms; leaving little steaks of red and a stinging sensation. My sweater would have protected my bare arms, but I had abandoned my hoodie in exchange for freedom.

The injured arm hurt brutally even though I was trying not to swing it back-and-forth while running. The running felt good aside from that. Wind rushing all around me, flinging my hair back behind me – my hair tie had been sacrificed to my cause as well. If I hadn't been running for my life I would have walked through the trees, enjoying the picturesque scenery. I could have been running through a child's picture book about unicorns it looked so nice. But, no. I to have had been placed in a horror story, being chased by a murderous psychopath. All I needed was the scenery to change and it would be perfect!

Where I was running? I had no idea; besides far away. So I ran, hoping that Deidara had given up or was too far behind to catch up. I was thanking every god or spirit I knew of for my luck. It was just then an ominous shadow passed overhead with a _whoosh_, crushing my high hopes back down. Those spirits must really not like me.

Skidding to a halt, I almost fell over, but I managed to keep my balance. Running had failed; Deidara's bird had caught up with me. Time for plan B -…err…never had one.

_Whoosh. _Need to hide!

Ducking under a snarl of branches coming from an overgrown shrub, I started to decrease my chakra to be invisible to detection. I tried to stabilize my erratic breathing and calm my wild heartbeat to a steadier pace

The shadow and rush of air swooped over head for a third time. Deidara definitely thought I was around here. Cradling my bad arm against my chest, I started cursing all the gods and spirits I could remember for my luck. Maybe they would take sympathy on me and send a knight in shining armor. Then we could fall in love and live happily ever after in a bright and sunny land. I would still _much_ rather be in a mushy romance novel then a horror story told around the campfire- the stories where everyone fighting or even standing up to evil dies. Though I wasn't really fighting, I was more like running for the hills.

I nestled down in my hiding spot and listened to Deidara swoop over head again and again…And again. If he found me why was he taking so long to come down? The suspense of not knowing was going to kill me before he ever did. I peeked up through the mass of twigs and interlocked branches that hid me from the sky. It was a lovely shade of blue today. How could the world around me be so beautiful when I was in such an ugly predicament?

_**BOOM**_

The massive explosion had hit not to far away from my spot, a wave of heat blew by me. Sure I could hide great, but I don't think I'd fare so well against his explosions. That must be his attack. Explosions. It certainly would be an effective attack if it hit the target. But aren't ninja supposed to be stealthy? Loud explosions don't really count as '_stealthy'._

_**BOOM**_

The next explosion sent good size pieces of wood flying around the thicket near me embedding themselves in the ground and tree trunks. Heat blasted me and my tangled hair blew into my face. One piece of wood shrapnel nicked my neck. Was he _trying _to_ kill_ me?

A thick cloud of dust swirled around me. If he hit again I'd become a nice little pile of charred flesh and scorched bone. Now or never –literally. I rolled in a very ninja-like maneuver out of my hiding spot. I tore away- toward where the last explosion had come from. It took about five steps to reach where the trees had been incinerated.

Deidara's attack had taken a circle out of the woods like a cookie cutter makes a shape from dough. I hugged the shallow crater's rim, using the ever settling dust as a cover. He must be trying to kill me. Unless…unless he is playing cat and mouse with me. Then I just would be fumbling right into his paws…err hands.

_**BOOM**_

A third and final explosion rocked the forest where I had just been hiding. I twisted around to look at the damage and… a rock the size of my fist propelled by the blast caught me square between the eyes. The force tipped my head back and I stumbled backwards trying to regain a footing. My eyes rolled up into my head and I tripped on my own feet. I was unconscious even before I hit the hard packed earth. That was a plus since I couldn't feel anything as I landed on my bad arm. Major _ow._

----- A little while later-----

Nothing happened in my dreams- that I could understand at least. Everyone was happily talking and bustling around, but I could understand them anymore. It was like they were talking in Pig Latin. Well ixn-ay on the upidst-ay to them too! Lazily I stared at the sky through my one eye. So pretty and clear and blue with fluffy, billowing clouds…

At first I was happy to escape the delusions on my contorted dream-world, but the aching pain of blood pulsing beneath a bruise is not the best thing to awaken to. Nor is the pain of a mangled arm or a bruise over your left eye that is swelling to the size of your fist. I imagine the lump above my eye had already turned a sinister shade of purplish-blue. Those are things I didn't register until later though.

Voices were the first thing I really paid attention to. I could hear voices; they were distant though. It was too hard to make my mind concentrate on the muffled sound so I didn't. Fate, as always, was conspiring against me. Unwillingly I started to decipher and put the words together. At first the ongoing conversation didn't make sense.

"Sheez no 'ood to us dead!" The voice was gruff, had a bit of a snarl to it.

What? Ood? Food maybe? Maybe I was still dreaming. Yea, that's it. I was obviously stuck dreaming about cannibals, how pleasant…

"She's s'not dead, hm! She's only half fed!" The newer speaker had a nicer voice, a nice deep tone- and soft compared to the first speaker.

Ok, so maybe not cannibals. I was just really hungry. When I wake up I was certainly going to have a big breakfast or brunch- probably the later. I could feel the gnawing in my empty stomach as it sapped away my strength. I concentrated harder to make sense of their conversation- no argument.

"Half dead? You little piece of shit! I knew should have I done it myself! You managed to not only break her arm, but let her get all the way out here!"

"She surprised me, hm! I wasn't expecting her to try anything, that's all!"

Who was 'she'? Who was talking? My head throbbed, my body ached. I don't like this dream at all. Maybe I got caught in a genjutsu? I tried to rub my eyes only to notice that I couldn't move my arm very well. Someone had wrapped a stiff cloth around the arm; limiting my movement. Upon trying again I whimpered in pain. So I'll use the other hand then.

Bringing my good hand up to rub my eyes I noticed there were a series of scrapes and scratches winding down along my arm. I fought to regain full consciousness. It was hard; half of me desperately wanted to sleep, I was still exhausted. The half concerned for my well being said wake up.

"I come back and find you examining what looks like her dead corpse! You should have been prepared for an escape attempt."

While the other person replied I took to examining the full extent of my injuries. I started with my feet, wiggling each toe and joint to make sure it stilled functioned correctly. Once I fully noticed my banged-up right arm I realized the people were talking about _me_.

My memories of the morning came back in a rush of blurry images. Deidara must be arguing with the person he had been waiting for. Using all the strength I could muster, I sat up and stared at the two shinobi. They looked as different as their voices sounded. The new person was short and bulky looking- something about his appearance wasn't quite right. Deidara, on the other hand, was head and shoulders taller with a mane of blond hair, some of which was gathered into a high ponytail.

Both were wearing the same outfit though, a uniform I decided. The two had on heavy, black cloaks that fell to their feet and hide half their faces with a neck band. The sleeves were also long and red clouds outlined by a creamy white appeared several times on the cloth. Their argument seemed to be getting rather heated; so I tuned back into their words.

"They last for a second and nobody who experiences them can really register them as anything. That's why your explosions aren't art Deidara!"

The conversation had shifted to debating their views on art. _Definitely_ psychopaths. Hey, that means I should be able to relate to them a bit!

Both men seemed to be rather annoyed. I smirked. Mission annoy them at any cost was going great- it might actually be successful! My stomach grumbled with considerable volume. I decided my number one priority was food. I was really getting hungry. So since these people seemed to want me to be alive, if only for the time being, they must have food for me then. If they didn't well… well then they were dumb idiots too! Like the Short One said: Shinobi are supposed to be prepared for anything- which includes feeding their prisoners.

"Yea, hey! I'm kinda hungry."

I waved my good arm in the air. They both turned to stare at me like I was an oddity. Ok, so maybe I was. I probably was, but I'm informing them of my needs. That's the thing with boys they aren't mind readers, if you want something you have to tell them. I sighed. I hoped I wasn't going to have to spell everything out for these two.

"I. Am. Real-ly. Hun-gry. Give. Me. Food."

The short one didn't have any noticeable expression change, not even an eye twitched, inwardly that bothered me. Outwardly Deidara looked thoroughly pissed off.

"We aren't dumb you know, hm!"

"Really? You could have fooled me, and that's rather hard to do." Deidara clenched his fists and for a moment I thought he might come over here and hit me. The Short One started to look pissed. Uh, oh. "Pretty please?" I asked sweetly.

Deidara sighed and mumbled something incoherent, but none the less started to walk toward me. He didn't look aggressive so I didn't try to move. The Short One moved off to attend to his own business. I didn't care though; all that matter was that Deidara was getting me food!

'Food' turned out to be some sort of rice paste. Flavorless and watery. I resisted the urge to tell them so. We sat in silence. No one felt the need to talk or couldn't find something to say that wouldn't piss off someone else.

While eating I took the time to observe my captors my closely. Deidara was watching the clouds drift by while the Short One meticulously examined a summoning scroll. The weather was turning colder. I envied the two for a second. The cloaks looked pretty thick- though I didn't get chance to confirm that since I definitely wasn't going to invade their personal space anytime soon. To my amusement they both had painted their nails the same deep purple color.

The three of us were still on the edge of one on Deidara's craters; where I had been unconscious. Stupid rock. Deidara stood up and collected a stuffed knap sack. The Short One (I still couldn't tell if had been was sitting or standing) started to move toward me. I edged away.

"Clary you said your name was?"

Once he turned toward me I saw what I had been waiting for- his village's symbol. To my surprise a line had been drawn through the symbol- a missing-nin. Formerly he had hailed from Sunagakure. Deidara turned toward me also, I checked his forehead protector, and Iwagakure's symbol was engraved there, and again, crossed out. A missing-nin organization! Had I not been captured by them I would have thought this was getting to be a pretty interesting and exciting adventure.

"Doesn't look like she likes you either, Sasori-Danna, hm."

Sasori was it? I certainly did not like him. Something about Sasori's appearance irked me. I stood there longer then what's considered polite as I glared at him speculatively. I could push Deidara's buttons but not this guy's. I didn't like that at all. I took note that Deidara called him "danna". Was he subordinate then to Sasori? My brain started ticking; Sasori sounded familiar.

Rolling his eye's Deidara started walking. "Come on, Clary, hm."

Obediently I stumbled after Deidara. I was too busy thinking to care. My legs hurt; they were sore from running and had a variety of different scratches on them despite my pants which now hosted several rips. At points the world seemed to be spinning and I was, painfully, aware of a steady throb in my forehead like the beating of my heart. I didn't care then though, I was processing Sasori's name. I just _knew_ I had heard it some where.

We had been walking twenty minutes or so –I'm not too great about judging time- when it came to me. Back in Sunagakure an old lady had said her grandson had abandoned the village some eighteen or so years back and that his name was Sasori- Sasori of the Red Sand. He had been a genius in the art of puppet warfare.

A shiver ran down my spine, once I realized just _who_ I was walking with. Glancing over at his odd shape he didn't seem to resemble his grandmother at all. He moved in an awkward shuffle forward. So, for unknown reasons, I had been captured by missing-nin. Maybe it's their form of amusement…I hope not.

Several moments later I had a second epiphany. My blood ran cold-so to speak. My train of thoughts had led me to a horrifying conclusion- _Akatsuki_. Traveling meant I picked up a lot of gossip. Recently when I passed through The Land of Fire some people had been talking about a group of missing-nin, all S-rank level. I had shrugged it off as some rumor, but…this, this obviously wasn't a malicious rumor about band of deadly, rouge shinobi, whose motivations are unknown. It was _real_. Akatsuki was real.

It took another moment or two to sink in. As soon as it did I stopped dead in my tracks. For certain now, I'd be lucky to even see the end of the week! So for the greater good of humanity I had to do all that I could to foil whatever Akatsuki was scheming! I was not going to cooperate one bit! If they wanted me to go to where they were going they would have to drag me there!

-----End-----

----- Word Count: 3,281 -----


	5. Chapter 5

_----- I got Captured by Deidara -----_

_----- By: Terrier.Z -----_

_----- Chapter Five: Laughing in the Face of Danger Sounds Nice, Until You Actually Start Laughing-----_

Well, when I said they were going to have to _drag_ me to where ever they were headed, I didn't really mean literally. When I adamantly refused to walk any further, even when they threatened to hurt me, they settled on tying a fat cord around my waist and started to drag me. At first it really wasn't so bad, but after an hour or two of bumping along behind those two, the sticks and stones really started to hurt my bones. Not that it was much of a change, the aches and pains in my body seemed to meld together to be one big constant thrum of pain. I ignored it for now- I was going to have lots of time to sulk in pain and misery soon enough.

I did my very best to be sitting dead weight on the end of the rope, it's harder then it looks. Not the dead weight part, but the sitting part. I kept flopping over to one side. I wasn't being steadily pulled either. It was an inconsistent rhythm of jerks and tugs- I had the feeling that Sasori was the one pulling me, though I never did find out.

My wrists had been retied and the jerking motion was starting make the cords rub my skin off. I was also now gagged. Once I had started to annoy them with my endless chatter and off key singing they decided to shut me up. Hey, it's not my fault that they can't appreciate music… Looking on the brighter side of things, they hadn't re-blindfolded me. I was free to enjoy the scenic view as I was tugged up steeper and steeper slope. Remembering parts of my training I tried to memorize the landscape, it proved fruitless- trees all look the same to me.

So for one afternoon of my life I was dragged through a forest and half way up a mountain side by S-ranked criminals. Just criminals not masterminds because if they were they'd have been more efficient at capturing me and not giving away secrets- I even new their names! Ok, so what? I knew their names, I didn't know if they were going to kill me or not though! I shuddered at it for a moment then suppressed it into the vault of other not so pleasant thoughts and memories. This entire day was going in there to be locked up.

At one point Deidara tried to start a conversation. It didn't work to well. Sasori growled at him about being a little prick and I would have added to the conversation if I could say more then 'muuf mmk mmn hm!!' That gag tasted nasty too, they really needed to wash it. I needed a bath myself. My hair was ratty and I didn't like it touching my face and my clothes were utterly filthy too.

The sun was inching back towards the horizon. Exhausted, physically and mentally, I gave up trying to stay upright. It may sound hard, but I feel into a long deep sleep. That or I hit my head on a particularly hard rock.

----- A dozen or so hours later-----

My first view, once I awoke, was of nothing. I didn't have a blindfold on; there was just nothing to see. Darkness shrouded everything. Anything more than an arm's length away was invisible. For a long time I avoided getting up and starting my first day here. When I finally gave in to my curiosity to explore I couldn't even stand. My legs were wobbly and painful to put weight on.

I experimented with crawling one-handedly, but my 'good' arm was only 'good' in comparison with my bad, broken arm. What really sucked was that I was right handed and that was the one I couldn't use at all. Any one can use their other hand; it's just much more challenging and less dexterous then using your dominant hand. Unable to move efficiently, I wiggled over to the nearest corner, heaved myself to sit upright and didn't move again.

So I sat in my cave- yes, _my _cave; I highly doubt these two got it via legal means so I have just as much right to claim it as they do- and to keep myself occupied I tallied the full extent of my injuries:

-Twenty-four scrapes.

-Twenty-one cuts.

-About nineteen bruises.

-One black-eye from that flying stone.

-And one broken right arm.

-At least my teeth weren't loose- yet.

The gag was gone, but I couldn't muster up the courage to call out to them. I was starting to let fear reign in my courage and any plans I had made went out the window. Laughing in the face of danger sounds like a nice plan…until you actually start laughing. My wrists were free so they obviously weren't worried about another escape attempt- Overconfident bastards; I'd, eventually, show them!

Aside from being dark it was _cold_. All I wanted to do was curl up and try to conserve heat. One of the two- I speculate it was Deidara- returned my sweater. The thick cloth helped a little, once I tugged it over my head and put up the hood, but not enough. The frigid air still found it's way to my bare skin, sapping the warmth out of me. My breathing was loud and it felt intrusive to the stifling black silence pressing in around me.

I hate to admit it, I _really_ do, but I pretty much did just curl up in that corner and gave up. I gave up on the fantasy of being rescued. I admitted defeat and just kinda sat there, staring off into space

A blob. I became a blob of misery. I blobbed there feeling sorry for myself, imagining a hero coming to my rescue or myself waking up from a horrible nightmare. I tried to smile, but as I built up the empty bubble of happiness it popped. Deflated once again I felt worse than before. A haze had seeminly fallen around my mind, preventing me from thinking about everything nice and happy in the world. When I did I felt sick to my stomach.

Just before I had lost total control of my will it had occurred to me that every one else thought I was dead. Most bodies close enough to the explosion had been seared and charred into deformity. They couldn't be recognized. One less body wouldn't make much difference. The world would list me as dead. My family might have been planning my funeral already!

Now even if I did survive I couldn't go back. How could I explain to them what really happened? That I was taken hostage by Akatsuki, and survived, along with being in the epicenter of an explosion and surviving? I couldn't. They'd suspect me as a spy or something. They would be too suspicious and I'd most likely wind up being imprisoned in my home town! I had no where to go now. I sunk into my cave's darkness and effectively became part of the cave: silent, dull, dark, dead.

The chilliness in the air nipped at me through my clothes. My stomach growled and ate away at my insides. Some person did bring food. They had a look of repulsion when they saw me. Each time they did bring the watery food they turned away and walked out quickly with their cloak sweeping behind them. I must have looked…not pitiful or disgusting; those wouldn't accurately describe me at that point. I really was just a blob of humanity. It was the absolute rock bottom of my life.

I survived in that little whole, but didn't live. Across the room from my corner was an attached little powder room with a toilet and sink from which flowed water speckled with rust and debris. Eventually I was able to move, by which means I can't remember, but I still preferred my corner. I felt safer there. The only other time I moved from my corner was when I went to fetch my meal.

The lighting never changed so I can't say how many meals I got per day. Or even how long I had been there. Time became very different. At points it seemed to go by very slowly like when you watch a clock's hand moving around the dial tick…tick…tick…Then again it seemed to be rushing by; just when finished settling back down from one meal the next would arrive.

I won't bore you any longer with details of the 'blob' era of my imprisonment -not that there is much to hear. I'll skip forward to the part when I woke up. Maybe 'snapped' would be a better term. I had enough. Enough of sitting in the dark. Enough of not talking. Enough of not doing anything. Enough of not really living. I had said I was going to give them a difficult time and put up fight. I hadn't. I had been the very worst kind of prisoner; the one who gave up. It pissed me off. One moment I was being the best blob ever the next I was awake. I could think clearly and move on my own motives.

My motive? To do damage to who ever it was that cause me to be here in this little hell hole. I was going to make who ever came in here sorry that they ever locked me in here. It took me a moment to remember a name. Deidara. The blond haired one. He came in and fed me. He was going pay for this.

Anger was the first emotion I really _felt _in long time. I could feel the blood rushing to my face; I could hear my heart steadily beating. I was whole again. My mind had come back to my body. Though at the time I was only concerned about doing something, anything, to make a person suffer for my misery as a blob, the time I spent being a blob had actually set the stage for being the first and last person to my knowledge, to successfully infiltrate Akatsuki.

-----End-----

----- Word Count: 1,689 -----


	6. Chapter 6

_----- I got Captured by Deidara -----_

_----- By: Terrier.Z -----_

_----- Chapter Six: Carebears don't make good parents -----_

Effectively, I went from being a blob with no emotions to a raging, snarling, feral, beast. Saying that I was mad would be an understatement. All I wanted to do was attack and hurt someone. I had a hard time calming myself down to think, now that I could, clearly. I had already leapt to my feet and was storming around my cave; if there had been any one else in there at the time they could very well have lost their head.

What calmed me down was an epiphany. My epiphany? Sitting in the dark doing nothing all day had actually worked in my favor! If I had been fighting every single time they came in here I would undoubtedly been more mangled or dead. I hadn't. I had curled in ball and did nothing. So they would still expect for me to be doing nothing! And doing nothing had let my body mend itself! What luck I was having!

The scrapes and cuts had patched themselves up to look like the rest of my skin; I could see out of both eyes again too. I stopped storming and systematically flexed and stretched my body; it felt good to use my muscles again. I heisted when I got to my right arm, instead of stretching it I gently prodded the damaged region and winced- still broken. I hesitantly flexed my right hand just to see. It worked, painfully, but I could move my right arm a bit-its better then nothing.

I for the first time since my arrival decided to thoroughly explore my little cavern. I paced the length of the room; six of my steps so maybe twelve feet. Width was about ten feet. Peering up through the layers of dusty darkness it looked higher then the average ceiling- which was ten feet so maybe twelve or fourteen feet high? The height didn't catch my eye though; it was the walls. Instead of being straight walls, right above the two door ways the walls started to slant instead of going straight up. Where the two door-less walls met was my corner. I still liked my corner best.

I went over to the bathroom door and opened it to see a miniature room. A little chipped basin with a faucet hanging over it –my sink- and a crude toilet bowl. Over the basin four brackets were implanted in the stone wall in square shaped pattern, next to the bottom left corner a fragment of a mirror still clung to the wall- my first weapon.

Leaning over the basin I tugged at the little corner piece of mirror. After quite a bit of maneuvering, and profanities, I managed to wiggle the shard of glass out of its place. It had the straight edges of the mirrors corner, slanting between the highest and farthest part of those edges was a jagged line of glass. Satisfied I left my bathroom, closing the door, and retreated to my corner.

Looking at my reflection in the mirror was odd. The poor lighting of my room had made me become pale- ghostly pale. The healthy tan almost blond look, from being in the desert had melted off leaving behind a sickly pale face starved from sunshine. My hair had faded back to its regular, if not darker, shade of brown and it was... EW…I'm not going to even start on my hair I'll just say I needed shampoo. Every time a lock of hair touched my skin I cringed. I love taking showers and being clean this was torturous experience in that sense. I took the mirror and after moment of debating I hacked away at my mane of oily hair.

Really, I did my best to have my hair look orderly. I failed miserably as usual, the glass was rather sharp and cut through the mangle of hair with ease, but my hand slipped leaving my hair going in all sorts of directions. My hair was comparable to modern art. You know what it's supposed to be, but it still raises eyebrows.

The hair cut also was delaying the last part of my room to explore. The other door. Placing the mirror down so the non-reflective side showed, I eventually brought up my courage to go turn the door knob. It was locked for sure- no way would they leave it unlocked. Reaching for the once shiny door handle I stopped to listen for any sound that might make it through the heavy stone walls. Silence. I turned the knob and… it opened.

Surprised I stumbled back from the door as it swung open, inviting me to leave my little room. After suppressing the feelings of glee I used all my forgotten training to silently move out into the rest of this Akatsuki hideout.

It was dimly lit with by several old fashion lamps, but it was still bright for me and considerable warmer. I embraced the light and warmth for a second before scanning my surroundings. It had entered what looked like a lobby. Several couches were positioned around a table on the cave's smooth floor a door or two were also attached. A hallway lead off the far side of this room, I crept over there still aware to the fact that I didn't know where Deidara or Sasori were. That meant that I could be subject to a surprise attack and not even have a chance at attacking back before I die.

This hallway had more doors on it. The one that I liked best the one at then end. A light at the end of the hallway- literally. I dashed for it. I could see the bright, _natural_ light coming from under it. Sunlight, not synthetic light, was seeping into the cave complex from under that last door. My luck was bound to run out somewhere and when I tentatively turned the knob it wouldn't turn. Locked- I would need a key to unlock the heavy door. It didn't bother me as much as it should have- I didn't even try to shake the knob loose. I had no where to go if I did leave. I might as well stay here and see what Akatsuki is up to and try to sabotage any plans of theirs. Yea, that's what I'll do.

Turning around I went to the nearest door way. Locked. The next, however, wasn't. I opened it to a room full of big boxes, or crates, what ever you want to call them. I still went in and looked around a bit. In hind sight maybe it wasn't such a good idea. When I peeked inside a box a face stared out at me. I leapt clear across the room and for several tense seconds, I waited to be attacked. I never was. Forcing myself to go back I saw what it was. A puppet, limp and lifeless. I left that room quickly nonetheless.

Trying the rest of the room they were either locked or empty, but a few had apparent uses. I found make-shift kitchen; though I didn't eat for fear of leaving evidence. I found what looked to be a bed room, poor by any hotel standards, but it was a bedroom- in use too.

When I carefully peeked inside at first I saw an empty room and confidently walked inside to explore. A mumble stopped my dead in my tracts. Looking over I saw Deidara

restlessly sleeping in a chair. Uh oh… He was still in his uniform, minus the straw hat. I stood there, my heart thumping wildly.

So Deidara _was_ here. Being the idiot that I am I didn't back out like I should have. No, I stayed and watched him sleep. What he looked cute… ok fine I was –am- mentally absurd, a total delinquent. So I stayed and watched him sleep, his chest slowly rising up and down. His blond hair was still in its high ponytail, with his long bangs masking half his face.

Why he chose the chair over the bed I can not say, it didn't look like a very comfortable sleeping position. Now that he was sleeping he looked harmless, he could have been raised by carebears he looked so innocent. He was younger then I originally thought too; only a few years older then me- twenty-one or two. What could he have done to become an S-ranked criminal in so short of a lifespan? He wasn't too famous though; I had never heard of a Deidara of the Explosions or something before. Apparently those carebears don't make very good parents.

After a while Deidara became more restless in his sleeper; his breathing shallower. He was waking up. Almost reluctantly I left the room- the keyword is almost. Walking back to what I had deemed the 'lobby' I tried to decide what to do next. Keep exploring or go back to my room and pretend to be a good little blob? Once I got to the lobby I couldn't resist sitting on one of the couches-why Akatsuki had couches still confounds me.

It was a wonderful change to sink into the couch instead of leaning against an unforgiving rock wall. So nice and soft... I fought with my eyelids to stay awake- I lost. I fell into the best sleep I had had in a long time, snuggled in Akatsuki's couch.

-----After naptime-----

I didn't want to wake up when a hand shook my shoulder. I swatted the hand, turned over and attempted to fall asleep again. I heard an exasperated sigh, and then something _licked _my cheek. That got me up with a start. Its one thing to shake their shoulder, but _licking_ people crosses the line for me- unless it was a dog or cat then I could forgive them. Before I could behead the licker it occurred to me that they still thought I was in 'blob' mode. As far as I knew blob don't attack people. So taking from the weeks (or however long it was) I spent as a blob, I played blob.

It is not that hard. Lose all conscious and will to do anything then find a surface and sit down. I did just that. I didn't react to being licked… that sounds weird…Anyway I waited there visibly awake for his next move.

My response seemed tick him off much to my chagrin. "What is wrong with you, hm? All you ever do is sit there with a dumb look on your face!" Geez, it's a look of indifference.

I was having a very hard time suppressing my laughter. Something went off in the back of my mind that said his_ hand_ must have licked me since he didn't bend down and only his hand was exposed. I must really be going insane.

"How did you get out from there? You never move unless necessary… Did I leave the door open again, hm?"

Again? Deidara was definitely not very good at this whole prisoner business. Something I could twist to my advantage. What he did next caught me by total surprise… He left me there and walked off toward the hallway. Sasori wasn't here then, if he was he would have moved me back to my cave. It's not like there is any danger leaving a blob unguarded on a couch. I strained my ears to listen to his movements. Silence. After I was sure he was gone I got up and stretched. Something had caught my eye when I woke up. A door near my own was open just enough to let a little light pour out into the lobby; inviting me to come in.

I stalked over to the door and put my good hand in the crack. I pulled the door open just enough to slide in then closed it back the way it was. What didn't catch my attention was that it swung open again when my back was turned. In the meantime I examined the room; it looked like a study. Papers were strewn everywhere or in stacks, shelves of thick dusty books. My eyes riveted toward a row of pegs with keys dangling on them. I ignored the voice in the back of my head that said I should go back the couch and play blob. I fingered the keys trying to uses which ones I might need. A voice behind me saved me the effort.

"The one third from the left leads into your cell, hm."

A shiver went down my spine; I turned to smile at Deidara sheepishly. He was leaning against the door, smirking. That irked me, if I had had a knife I would have stabbed him then and there despite how good looking he might be. He pushed off the door frame and walked –maybe sauntered would be better- to where I was and unhooked the third key from the left from its peg. A seconded key identical to the first still hung from the peg.

"I thought you had gone into a vegetative state on us…I guess we were wrong, hm." He raised the one visible eyebrow. There was an edge to his voice the unnerved me- I liked the carebear version of him better.

"It got boring being a vegetable so I decided I'd convert back to human." I replied coldly.

Turning to fully face him I stared. Unblinkingly he stared back. We had staring contest. I was never very good at those. After a minute I made a face at Deidara- so I wouldn't completely lose. He lost his concentration and suave, but was able to stop himself from laughing –barely. The result was a contorted expression of him trying to laugh, but still maintain a full force glare at me at the same time. I chose not to reign in myemotions- I laughed.

It worked the atmosphere stop struggling between tense and humorous and swung to the relaxing side. For me I had feared I had forgotten how to laugh; it felt good to be happy. Deidara had started laughing too; though part of him was still obviously trying to stop and regain composure. Not sadistically happy, or the happy from achieving a goal you had been struggling at. But happy-happy, carefree, having fun happy. I suppose it was a rare thing for Deidara to not have serious façade on so I didn't try to stop laughing- it _is_ good for you after all.

After Deidara managed compose himself- he had a hard time; the care bear influence was definitely kicking in- he seemed to sense that I would try to take the second key from its peg if left to roam their hideout.

"Let's get you back to your cell before Sasori-danna comes back and bites our heads off, hm."

I didn't try to hide my smile – I have a very pretty smile when I want to. Deidara made a mock bow and gestured for me to lead the way. I didn't protest- I was secretly disappointed though that I didn't have a chance to swipe the key. He came behind me and closed the door. He escorted me back to my room he paused before he closed the door and asked.

"For your well being I'd suggest staying in your cell from now on. I was in a generous mood today so I didn't do anything, but Sasori has been in a bad mood since I met him. He'd be more than happy to kill you, hm." A shiver ran down my spine, when he reminded I was still in a very dangerous situation. A detail I was forgetting way too easily.

"Well since my room," Cell sounded too harsh, "Lacks all forms of furniture, I decided to borrow your couch. I get the whole 'let's be all macho and mean' thing- though I don't at all agree with it- but could you at least give me a blanket? Your mother would be horrified to know that they left no gentlemanly instincts in you."

Deidara rolled his eyes, making a face at me, and then shut the door in my face. I blinked for a few seconds then, pouting, I went back to my corner. Huddling up against the walls, hugging myself for warmth, I reviewed everything that had happened and carefully stored useful bits of information. Eventually I drifted into an unstable sleep.

The next, morning might be the wrong time... the next time I woke up, I stretched out and started to get up when I noticed something that made me smile- there lying by the door, was a thick blanket…

-----End-----

----- Word Count: 2,778 -----


	7. Chapter 7

_-----I got Captured by Deidara -----_

_----- By: Terrier.Z -----_

_----- Chapter Seven: The trick with success is to just lower the standards of what you need to accomplish -----_

Humans strive to be happy. We go to extreme extents to be happy. And being happy and silly is good for you. Laughing, smiling it gives us a reason to roll out of bed each morning, but even when we are happy there are reasons to still be wary.

When I unfolded the blanket that Deidara, presumably, left for me, I was having trouble restraining myself from doing a little happy dance. Taking the blanket back to my corner I hunkered down in it, making a cocoon around myself. I _should_ have assumed Deidara was doing this so I would survive until I was needed for their sinister plans or trying to make me trust him or for some other devious motives. I didn't. Instead I started to like Deidara and mentally started to plan what a conversation with him would sound like. I told you I was a total delinquent- I'm surprised they haven't locked me in an asylum by now.

Noticing a piece of paper flittering to the ground I scooped it up. Upon examining the paper torn messily from the corner of a notebook my lips twitched into a smile and my heart fluttered. A smiley face, with its tongue was sticking out, smiled back at me.

A down side from waking up from 'blob' mode was the boredom. Sitting in a dark, dank cave leaves you with not many options for activities. I came up with four solutions to cure the boredom.

Option one: Give in to will of evil and sit around as a blob.

Option two: Plan, prepare, or attempt an escape. Or create other plans that help you and your cause.

Option three: Think about things. Anything it doesn't really matter that much.

Option four: Commit suicide.

That last option was out of the question. I'm way too much of a coward to try that, and if anything I love being alive. I had already tried Option one. I was left with Options two and three. I was thinking, but what I was thinking about might fall under Option two. I'll say Option two that way I was being productive in some manner.

I mused about Deidara and analyzed our encounter for anything that might help save me later on. My brilliant conclusion? Make him laugh before he kills me, while he's caught up in laughing run for the hills. I would have definitely not made it as a shinobi for much longer. I probably can't even remember how to make a basic clone. Since I had nothing better to do I decided to try and see how many jutsu I could still perform. This would be going under Option two for sure.

After untangling myself from the blanket, I started to become uneasy. What if something went wrong? With my luck that was a very real possibility. Or what happens if someone notices and comes in to see why there are chakra pluses from in here? Though I had only met Sasori once I had an instinct to back away from him. Something about him I didn't like at all. He was…creepy, unnerving, and ugly. Maybe I was being judgmental, but hey, it's a women's intuition. Procrastinate was my solution. If I am going to be escaping successfully- I can escape all I want, but if I get two feet so what- I need to be in fighting condition.

First, I stretched all the muscles I could remember how. I even counted to ten each time to do it 'correctly'- and to waste the maximum amount of time. All too soon I ran out of body parts to stretch. Waste time, waste time…exercises! I moved on to basic maneuvers. Kicks: hook kicks, sidekicks, step-behind-sidekicks, jumping kicks, twirl-around-and-smash-their-face-kicks. I fell down a lot with the more complex ones, and my legs protested against so much violent use. I pictured myself battling Sasori- a super weak version that just sat there and didn't try anything. With relief I moved on to punches and arm attacks.

My punches and elbow jabs were better then my kicks and probably would be more successful to use in combat. My kicks didn't reach above my chest level. At least I can always kick their shins and make them angry! The trick with success is to just lower the standards of what you need to accomplish. For fear of my safety I didn't try to do flips and gymnastic moves; today at least, I promised myself I would try them tomorrow.

After wracking by brain for anything I might have forgot, I finally moved on to chakra drills. I started with the simple walking up surfaces. I walked over to a wall with a slanted surface several feet above the door.

Tentatively, I placed my right foot on the wall; I gathered chakra in the bottom and stepped forward. The weight of my body pulled me down- not enough chakra. I knew from experience that it was bad to put to much chakra into a surface when climbing; though a stone wall should be able to stand more then the wooden wall we trained on.

Thinking back to my genin-team days was bittersweet. Mori and Ishi were the two other members; they were twins though not identical. We had been a promising trio- great in the teamwork department. Ishi had been a Chuunin for several years. Mori…poor Mori had had an accident and was now permanently hospitalized with extensive injuries. I went to see him often; we were still good friends after all.

My heart painfully lurched when I realized I might never see them again! I might never be able to bring Mori flowers and smuggle him chocolate- which he was forbidden to eat by the hospital- or go to Ishi's inauguration as Jonin! He might already be a Jonin! Some part of my heart caught on fire and raged. I _would _see them again! Them and every one else important to me! It was a promise, cross my heart and hope to die!

With new inspiration I put more chakra in my foot and tried again. I tested my weight on the one foot- it held. I stepped forward with my other foot gathering chakra, for an odd second I was between being upright and sideways. I placed my left foot next to my right foot and it held. I smiled determinedly and stepped up the wall again, it worked. I confidently strolled up the wall then turned to walk around the room's walls, flexing and stretching my chakra reserves.

Gracefully jumped down and landed on my room's floor. I twirled around in sort of a victory celebration. I could still use chakra well enough that I didn't implode! I started to practice jumping and holding my landing on odd surfaces. After retiring from being a shinobi I had self decidedly stopped all practices of a being a ninja. Sometimes I missed that life style though and longed to have it back. If I really wanted to they would let me have-no, no stop that self destructive lie of thought right there! I missed getting to wear my forehead protector and flying through the forest. Maybe my real name was somewhat true of my nature…I loved flying and being carefree just like birds…Ok so maybe not, but I _do_ like being able to fly through the trees at high speed.

Subconsciously I had been blocking out my real name and replacing it with 'Clary' ever since I made the name up as sort of a safety precaution. After spending years being called by something it is weird to be called by something else. Unnatural; my name isn't Clary and it never will be! Tori sounded much better, _natural_, because that's what my name always will be. Clary is all generic sounding. What an odd name for me to pick.

After finishing jumping around the room, I settled down and decided to attempt a jutsu. I started with the replacement jutsu; I would replace myself with my mirror shard…and hope that it doesn't shatter in the process…Sighing, and cursing about thinking ahead, I went to find something less breakable to use.

In the dim light it was even harder to find something to use in a room void of objects. I take that back since every time I tried to walk I'd trip over rocks. A rock would work well; not breakable at all. Dropping to my hands and knee's I crawled along the edge of my cave looking for a suitable rock. Careful not to put weight on my right arm I only used it for probing the floor for rocks in the darkness. I believed my arm was healing rather well considering the state of things. I became so absorbed in my task I didn't hear the door being unlocked.

Light –wonderful, bright light- flooded into dark room. They really need to invest on a lamp for in here. I spotted a large, round rock a few feet from where I was. It didn't register with me that the door had been opened by someone. Instead of standing up or sitting down I lopsidedly hobbled forward to get to the rock.

"_What_ are you doing Clary, hm?"

My head flew up to see Deidara standing in my door way looking at me with an amused expression, but more importantly he was holding a tray of food. I was starving for doing all the exercises. My hand was mere inches away from my long, sought prize. My mind raced for an excuse. I panicked and didn't lie like I would have or make snide remark. Instead my reply was more of a state the obvious thing.

"I'm looking for a rock." I said it with a straight face and looked at him as if he were dumb or something. After a moment I raised an eyebrow at him for…dramatic effects.

After a few more moment of him not understanding he asked in dumb voice. "A rock?"

I sighed and rolled my eyes like it was obvious; something he should have figured out already. Was this guy really an S-ranked criminal? "To use as weapon against you, duuur!"

I snatched the rock and swiftly stowed it away in my hoodie's front pocket, then stood up to my full height; though I would have only come up to his chin if he had been standing next to me. His expression was changing to a shocked one, as if it was surprising that I was searching for a weapon, or maybe it was because I hadn't tried to lie or cover it up. Remembering that this guy despite all appearances and reactions was an S-ranked criminal and weather I liked it or not in control of my fate, I tweaked the conversational atmosphere.

"If it makes you feel better I could say I was playing a game of hide'n seek with the stone. I have nothing better to do." I casually shrugged grinning easily, and then hissed through my teeth as a shot of pain ran through my right shoulder. Ow! I plastered a silly grin onto my face and ignored the renewed throb in my arm. "Care to join in next round?"

It was Deidara's turn to roll his eyes and sigh at me. He set the tray of food on the stone floor and turned to leave. He was already half way out the door, a hand ready to close and lock the door on me once more. He had a distinctive smirk on his face. His signature smirk.

"Hey, wait!" I didn't really have a reason to become cross at him for leaving- I _was_ being a bit silly,

"Why should I stay Clary, hm?" Deidara didn't sound antagonizing at all; his voice had a tone to it that made my stomach churn. I liked it and hated it at the same time.

"Because I now have something to talk to besides the walls!"

"You talked to the walls?"

"Maybe…"

He snorted and muttered something about incompetence test and then after a brief hesitation closed the door. I heard the door click locked and the room fell dark again. For my own safety I dropped back to my hands and knees; I had one too many experiences with running into the walls or tripping in the darkness.

I crawled over to where the door was- I had a pretty good mental map of my room by now-and found the tray when I almost landed my hand in it. I sat down and proceeded to eat my meal. It wasn't by any accounts graceful or well mannered. I had no utensils so I ate with my hands and fingers. Generations of humans did it that way with no shame so why can't I!

Flavor was something absent from the meals. These two really needed to by a cookbook or take lessons. A simple concoction of water, beef, and rice made what I supposed was supposed to be a stew. Accompanied with chunk of bread and a handful of berries. I was a picky eater before I had gotten captured and would have never eaten berries, but now I didn't care. Food was food and it had to be eaten.

I could have ate much more, but most of all I was thirty. I mulled over a way to tell them this. I wiped my face with my sleeve and moved back to my corner. On the way there I felt a different texture then the cold floor under my fingers- paper. I stopped crawling and picked it up. It was the smiley face that Deidara had drawn. Once back in my corner I examined it again and was about to place it under the rock I had just taken out of my pocket when an idea popped into my mind. I smirked when I thought the idea. I could write a note to him! It was something to do and I had nothing better to do so I would.

I had paper now, but no pen or other writing instrument. If I had soot that would work, but I didn't. The closest thing I had was dirt; that over the ages had seeped into the chamber. There was a fair amount of dirt to the right side of the door that lead to the 'lobby' area. I crawled over there. I felt around the ground and came across a pile. I rubbed my pinky into the dirt and wrote a message onto the paper. It was messy for I was writing in the dark, crouched over a piece of paper, and writing with an arm that was broken further up the limb. Pleased I looked at the smudge of dirt that read:

_HI._

Satisfied that it was legible, I went over to the door and after a moment of to deliberating the chances of him actually noticing I slipped it under the minuscule crack under the door. My hope was that if he did see my note he would write back. Passing notes was always fun. In school it's easier to tell your friend about the newest gossip after class, yet we choose to write them notes because it is funnier.

Well waiting for a reply I wondered about the weather outside- this would undoubtedly be Option two- what day of the week it might be, if Ami once notified about the attack on my caravan would adopt my pet hamster. I had left Merc in her care since she was the one who got him (or her I couldn't tell) for me on my last birthday. I went off musing about the various pets I had had through my life- the ill fatted pet dog I had, the parrot that flew away when I took her outside. Only my family's pet cat had survived to die of old age. I am definitely a cat person.

I was counting the number of times that I had reminded Ami to take care of Merc before I left, when out of the corner of my eye I noticed a rolled then flattened piece of paper appear under the door. Absolutely delighted that Deidara was playing along I went to the door. I unrolled his note and found a piece of mechanical pencil lead taped to it. In much better penmanship it said:

_Hey._

Smiling furiously I started to think of a response. It took awhile; mostly because I was over analyzing everything. Once finished I re-rolled and flattened the paper then I stuck it back under the door. It started a conversation via note that went something like this:

_I'M THIRSTY. _

_Can't get water under door- sorry. _

_I GUESS IT'S THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS..._

_I get brownie points though?_

_SURE THAT RASIES YOU TO -4 POINTS._

_That's not fair! How did I start negative?_

_WHAT A PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTION. I THINK WE MAY NEED A GENIUS FOR THAT ONE. _

_If I say sorry can I start back at zero?_

_ONLY IF YOU GIVE ME CAKE NEXT TIME YOU BRING FOOD._

_There is no cake here._

_YOU GUYS MUST HAVE MONEY- BUY SOME._

_If you eat like that you will get fat. _

_I HAVE BEEN ON A SPEICAL STARVATION DIET._

_Ok, fine next time I see a cake nearby I will steal it for you_

_REALLY? IN THAT CASE I DON'T MIND IF YOU MUDER THEM TOO! _

_Oh, cool. That makes it all the more easier. I promise I'll get you a cake._

_MMM CAKE!_

_Hey, if I murder them would it be ok if the cake gets a little messed up?_

_YOU CAN JUST MURDER THEM WITH KNIVES! IT'S MUCH EASIER AND NOT TO MENTION MORE STEALTHY THAN FIREWORKS!_

_Yea, but then it's not art._

_ART…?_

_What is art too you?_

_UMM…SOMETHING PRETTY? WHY? WHAT DO YOU THINK IT IS?_

_Art is bang._

_I GUESS BANGS CAN BE PRETTY …IF YOU DON'T GET HIT BY THEM THAT IS._

_Does it hurt?_

_YES! ASK THE CORPSES; THEY'LL KNOW EVEN BETTER._

_I'll be sure to ask the cake-seller._

_CAN I FLY ON YOUR BIRD SOMETIME?_

_No. It would be too dangerous and I don't want you messing up my art._

_AWW…BUT HOW CAN A BIRD BE ART IF BANGS ARE?_

_The bird can go bang too._

_HOW'D YOU GET A ROCKET TO BE SHAPED LIKE A BIRD?_

_I use clay not rockets._

_CLAY? IT'S ALL MUSHY AND STICKS TO YOUR SHOES THOUGH!_

_Infuse it with chakra and it can explode!_

_SWEET! WOULD THAT WORK WITH DIRT??_

_Maybe; it wouldn't be very efficient though. Why?_

_NO CLAY IN HERE… JUST DIRT AND ROCKS._

_I guess that would be in an escape effort? You don't like it here then? _

_NO. IT'S BEEN MY LIFE LONG DREAM TO BE TRAPPED IN A DARK CAVE 24/7_

…

….

…...

……

_I NEED MORE LEAD!_

_Here. You ran out fast…_

_IT BROKE WHEN I WAS OUT DOTTING YOU. ……._

_Ok, fine you win._

_HURRAY! BY THE WAY WHAT TIME IS IT?_

_2:45_

_AM OR PM?_

_Am._

_WHY ARE YOU AWAKE SO LATE?_

_Habitat- and technically I am supposed to be guarding you. Why are you up so late?_

_UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T HAVE A CLOCK OR A SUN._

_I will get you one along with that cake._

_YAY! WAIT, THE CLOCK OR THE SUN?_

_Your choice._

_CLOCK. I DON'T WANT TO BURN UP! _

_How old are you??_

_WHY? HOW OLD ARE YOU?_

_Just wondering. I am twenty-two_

_I AM TWENTY-THREE. HAHA! RESPECT YOUR ELDERS!_

_How old are you really?_

_WHAT? YOU DON'T BELIVE ME?_

_You don't look or have the maturity of a twenty-three year old. _

_FINE IM 25._

_Maturity as in your lack of it. You're eighteen to twenty._

_FINE, FINE. I'M NINETEEN. NEED A COOKIE?_

_Yes._

_ERR…WOOPS… I ATE THEM ALL!_

_You owe me a cookie then._

_FINE._

_Fine._

_A SUGAR COOKIE OR CHOCOLATE CHIP? AND CAN I BORROW YOUR KITCHEN?_

_Definitely chocolate chip and-Damn! Sasori got back! Go back to sleep and hide this! Bye!_

I was genuinely upset when I got that last note. I wouldn't be able to risk sending a note out if Sasori was there to find it- just imagine his face! I was surprised that Deidara had actually responded to my first letter. I got more then just a promise of a cake out of the note exchanging I some what befriended Deidara- hopefully he was more sympathetic towards me. Or he might just be as bored as I am and was toying with me.

From outside the door I heard Sasori talking to Deidara. They both sounded sour. Interested moved closer to see, or rather if I could hear, what they were conversing about. I ignored Deidara's warning to go back to sleep- maybe what he called 'blob' mode. I pressed my ear to the door and strained to hear the muffled voices- a little too happy for my present situation.

-----End-----

----- Word Count: 3, 496 -----

A/N: I hope you have been enjoying my story so far! There should be a lot less mistakes after I've proofread, but I'm sure I have not entire eliminated them, so forgive me for any that are still present.

A pleasantly happy,

-Terrier

Here is a bio on my character. In a later chapter I'll update it and add some new facts.

Name: Tori. ( Note: In Japanese Tori translates to 'bird'.)

Alias: Clary Rusher

Age: 19

Birthday: April 7th ( Note: It is mid-May at start of story and during the time skip)

Height: 5' 4''

Weight: 114 lbs (At start of story; by now she has lost quite a bit of that weight.)

Blood Type: A

Hair: Brown and short was layered, but since Tori played hair stylist on it has no real order to it.

Eyes: Hazel.

Outfit: Kaki pants and black hoodie, both are baggy and too big. Underneath the hoodie she has on a green tank top with swirly purple designs going down one side. And a variant of Shinobi sandals colored black.

Village: Takigakure (Village hidden by the Waterfall)

Rank: Officially retired at Genin.

Profession: Sales agent for her Aunts medical herb business

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	8. Chapter 8

_----- I got Captured by Deidara -----_

_----- By: Terrier.Z -----_

_----- Chapter Eight: Ballet school rejected me so I turned to insanity for comfort -----_

No matter how hard I strained my ears to hear their words I couldn't. The heavy wood door blocked out the sound of their words. I could hear that Deidara and Sasori were talking; but beyond that muffled noise, nothing. I had the notion that if they were holding a normal conversation I wouldn't hear a sound, it was the tone of their voices, sounding pretty angry, that I could hear a few stray words. Using my ingenious deducting skills, I concluded that those two were definitely not friends. Or if they were, they would be classified as the debate-each-other-on-everything type of friends. Frustrated, I slammed my left fist into the door. A loud thud resonated through the cave's walls, echoing.

Blood pounded in my ears and my head felt like I had just stopped spinning around. I stared in terror at the door- the unfriendly conversation outside my door had stopped. The part of my mind that was increasingly becoming insane registered that I had no real clock to be stressed over the passing seconds and so had decided to fill in the soft _'tick, tock… tick, tock' _of a clock. I silently cursed the delinquent side of my mind and tried to shove it back in to its container.

I eyed the door suspiciously for another long moment. I still heard nothing from beyond the door. Becoming aware that was holding my breath I forced myself to breathe regularly. I relaxed my tensed position and retreated to my corner. I soothed my mind as wrapped the blanket around me. I never fully relaxed, but I was able to drift off into an awkward doze.

-----After dreaming about blue skies and butterflies- and other things that rhyme. -----

I woke up with cramp in my neck; from the light I guessed it was still early in the morning. I groped around the darkness for my lamp's light switch. When I couldn't find it I became confused. I attempted to get out of my bed which didn't work to well. Instead of sliding out of bed and walking over to the rooms light switch, I battled to get the blanket off me and standup. I succeeded in the standing up part; but in my momentary memory black-out I didn't remember the cold stone wall behind me. I cracked my head against the stone wall, head injuries do tend to put me in a bad mood. I seized the back of my head and crouched down; nursing the throbbing pain.

"Damn it"

A bemused chuckle crossed the room to my ears. My mind snapped back to my harsh reality and my delusion of my bedroom faded away. The cave had light in it so someone was at the doorway and by the sound of the voice it was Deidara. Crap, I just showed how much of an idiot I could be.

"Not to graceful when we wake up are we, hm?"

"I failed ballet school." I returned sarcastically.

Ignoring the pain I looked up at Deidara who was standing in my door way with his arms folded over his chest. His appearance today was as nice as ever. I had never decided what 'type' of boy I liked. I didn't think Deidara would fit in the bill. A small reasonable voice in my head –the one in charge of self preservation- told me that I _should_ be disturbed that I was actually attracted to him in anyway. He had_ killed_ people that I knew. I still wasn't bothered by that fact; I countered with it that it is his job as a shinobi, and told reasonability to shut-up.

Today there were differences in him, several actually. He had a metal contraption attached over his left eye; it was mostly hidden by his hair that fell over that side of his face. His demeanor had also changed. It was mean, aggressive. His facial expression was sour; he was scowling. His posture wasn't too tense though. He knew I couldn't do anything to harm him and wasn't to worried about an attack- over confident bastard. He vaguely reminded me of a wolf.

I grimaced and decided to tread lightly today. No need to push him over the edge with my attitude and remarks. I straightened up and smiled lightly, Deidara's reaction took me by surprise- unless I had some abnormal growth on my face or something. His scowl turned into a glare and he looked like he was about to break out snarling any second. So maybe he looked more like a pit bull then a wolf.

Before I could even make a remark he pushed out of my door way slamming it in his wake. I stood there dazed for a second wondering if he had a multi-personality disorder.

I shook my head to clear it, I inhaled. The cave still smelled musty, it had changed though, and in someway it felt crisper, cooler, also it was surprisingly somewhat comforting. I opened my eyes -out of instinct rather then need- to look into the darkness where the door frame was located. I'd just realized something- he hadn't locked it.

There was a distinctive clicking sound when the door was locked. I remembered how much it had comforted me back as blob when I knew that I was alone again. In his flurry of…of anger I guess he hadn't locked the door. I stepped forward toward the door, then stopped and scolded myself. Deidara was in a foul mood and Sasori was back, that should have been plenty of deterrents for me not to leave my cell.

The voice of self reason was having a loosening grip on my mind; the cynical, sarcastic side was dominating. That side didn't really care about my well being. I aimlessly left my room, and without even shutting my door I headed into the lobby area. I'd need more deterrents then the promise of beheading to stop me.

It was dimly lit by the flickering lamps. After standing around a little bit I headed toward where the kitchen was. I really wasn't thinking logically at the time, if anyone _I _was the one with a multi-personality disorder.

The kitchen had plenty of things in it to occupy me for a while. I found a loaf of bread and scoffed it down- I for sure had been losing weight. I was hunting for meat when it occurred to me that there would be _knives _in the kitchen. Real weapons that could seriously do some damage.

I smiled darkly to myself. It didn't take long for me to find a series of knives in a wooden block. I drew one out; a slicing knife, with an edge as long as my hand, glinting murderously in the light. I wrapped a napkin around it and tucking it away in my sweaters pocket for later use. For a moment I ran the scenario of taking the entire block with me. Not a good idea, besides what was I going to do with bread knives? That would be one messy murder.

I settled on taking one more knife. I choose a small one; kitchen-wise I couldn't say what it would be used for. I did cook but it was more centered on baking pastries, cookies and cakes- I have a sweet tooth as you can see. I stowed the small knife away, in a more… umm _discreet_ location under my tank top.

Satisfied for the moment, and thinking more along the lines of a shinobi, I made sure the room looked the same as I found it- minus the bread and the knives. Ducking back into the long hallway I quickly moved to my goal- the spare key. I swiftly checked for signs of habitation in the lobby then trotted over the room I deiced was a 'study'. It looked a little more organized then when I first had visited.

The room seemed centered around a thin, gray binder over flowing with papers lying open on a desk, just inviting me to peek at it. I tried to ignore the urge to peek in it and instead look at the other materials in the study. A variety of scrolls, posters of chakra flow, and series of ancient books decorated the room. I had the feeling that this place was definitely taboo to go into. Hehehe… all the more the reason of me to be in here.

Succumbing the urge to go look at what was in that binder. I just glanced over the page it was open to; it was a file on Sunagakure. On the next page was a layout of the village, the next few pages were filled with information on, really _everything _about the village. A perfect guide for any one wanting to invade. Intrigued I continued to the next pages, these were about the current Kazekage, Gaara. I didn't thoroughly read through it just glanced over it. I noticed the word 'Bijuu' and 'Jinchuuriki' appear multiple times.

That sent a shiver down my neck. I knew that Bijuu were the nine tailed beasts and that Jinchuuriki were the human that they were sealed in. My conclusion from the brief lesson that our class had had on them was that Bijuu are bad, horrific monsters that I never want to fight and Jinchuuriki were the screwed up result of trying to harness their power. Gaara had the one-tail sealed in him...

A noise from outside the chamber broke me from my theorizing. Shit! This was bad the door to my room was still wide open and the light in here was on. I went on a mental tirade about my stupidity. I rapidly flipped back to the page the binder was on as someone muttered something in the lobby and started walking to the study. I strode over to the row of keys. Third one from the left lead to my cell right? I spotted the one that I needed; a shiny brass colored one. I knew I wouldn't be able to escape back to my cell by now; I planned to be caught looking at the keys- again. For once my plan worked like I wanted it to; I was fingering a large silver key in my hand when a shadow fell across the wall in front of me.

"What are you doing out again?" He snarled from behind me. "Wait, wait don't even answer that, hm!"

I turned to face Deidara and knew that I wasn't going to be able to laugh myself out of this one. I didn't expect it to get as violent as it did. As I brought my head up, shaking the hair out of my eyes, Deidara's hand, forcefully, meet my face.

His fist hurled into my right eye with incredible force. I half braced myself, a left over reaction; I managed to stand my ground. I just sort of blinked for a second trying to keep coherent. Half-heartedly I kicked out, it didn't feel like a very hard to kick, but boy did that piss him off. He swung his first back at me, catching me squarely in the nose.

Cursing I doubled over and held my nose; blood was freely flowing out of it, dipping to the ground. The key dropped to the floor, clanging. As I was nursing my nosebleed Deidara scooped up the key and shelved it back on the proper peg. Furious and not thinking at all, I straightened up to my full height and shoved my left elbow into his rib cage with as much force as I could muster. I hope that inflicted pain.

Deidara cringed in pain, audibly grinding his teeth together, and then whirled back to me, bringing his fist down on my bad shoulder. I was prepared though and ducked under his arm and made a mad dash for the door. I didn't go so far as I hoped when Deidara caught my right hand in an iron grip. I tried to struggle free and then made a gamble –a very bad mistake on my part, for I have no acquaintance with luck. I reached in pocket and snatched my knife out.

With blind rage and murderous intent I tightly gripped the handle and twisted around in his grip to face him. He flinched away from me once he saw what I had fished out of my hoodie. I aimed for his heart and with a quick thrust brought the blade down with all the force I could muster.

Several seconds past before I slowly registered what had happened.

My attempt failed, like most of my others. Deidara had good reflexes and caught my wrist with his free hand. He jerked my left arm down and around to an awkward, painful position on my back, careful to avoid the blade. Then shoved me face first into the wall, pinning me there. Ow.

For a few seconds I futilely wriggled in his grip and then had to acknowledging that I was trapped. I exhaled and relaxed as best I could. I felt his breath stir my hair. He leaned in closer which tightened the tension on my good arm- my right arm was firmly pressed against the wall. I gritted my teeth against the pain and sealed my mouth so I wouldn't cry out in pain. At least I succeed in that, one small triumph!

"Drop the knife." His voice was threatening and dangerous as he whispered in my ear.

I hesitated for a second; my mind was caught up in processing what had just happened, not intentionally trying to disobey his command. His grip tightened and he further shoved me into the wall. Blood dripped down from my nose and ran down my face. The rusty taste to blood filled my mouth, I felt nauseous.

"I said drop the knife, hm."

I released the knife- praying that it wouldn't fall on his foot, skewering one of his toes. It dropped as safely as a falling knife could clattering onto the floor. I licked my licks trying to clean off the taste blood and calculated my chances of surviving this. I have to say for the amount of times I get into certain death situations I manage to hold up pretty well. I settled on weathering this one out.

"Sorry." Hey, it is worth a shot at trying.

He snorted incredulously at me. "Do you have some mental condition, hm? You just tried to _kill_ me and you say _sorry_?" He was seriously pissed that was easy enough to tell.

"You surprised me that's all! It's not my fault that you didn't die!"

The pressure on my arm increased. At this rate I would have no good arms left. The pain was piercing through all my efforts against it. I resurrected my mantra against pain. Breath in, breath out. Breath in, breath out. I didn't work. The pressure wasn't letting up- not good, not good! Don't panic, don't panic.

An idea popped into my mind and I went for it. Nothing left to lose right? I went completely limp and played dead. Ok, not really dead just unconscious. The pain increased for a second as my full weight fell on my arms. I hoped he wouldn't realize my ploy- he didn't. The pressure released and I collapsed to the ground with a muffled thud. His foot kicked my side, I twitched despite myself, but I'm pretty sure unconscious people will twitch when kicked.

I hoped he wouldn't try anything and just move me back to cell and leave me there. This would be funny- what Deidara would do when he thought I was asleep.

He kicked a chair, then brought his furry down on some other inanimate object, as he muttered an obscenity that I'm not going to repeat here. He seethed for several long moments, wrestling with his emotions.

"Damn it! Sasori is going to kill me if he sees her like this, hm. I hope she won't tell." His voice was seething.

Why would I tell? I was dead if I did. 'Oh yah, Sasori when I was sneaking around your base I attacked Deidara and tried to kill him then he made me fall unconscious' That would be one dandy conversation.

Deidara huffed then bent down and took my chin in his hand, turning it from side-to-side. The blood annoyingly oozed out of my nose, it better not be broke, because then it would heal all crooked and funny if it was broke. I liked my nose very much as it was.

"Clary will certainly have a colorful eye when she wakes up, hm!"

He rolled my limp body over onto my back, then got up and muttered something about cream and paced out of the room. I cracked an eye open, all clear. I swiftly stood up- making my head swim and vision black out momentarily- and snatched the third key from the left of its peg, then stuffed it down my tank top before lying back down again. Operation 'Snatch that Key" success! He'd never know!

Deidara arrived back into the room just as I went limp like a rag doll again on the floor. He unscrewed a jar of ointment that smelled funny. He dabbed some of it on my right eye, it twitched involuntarily; the stuff was rather cold. He screwed the lid back on- I'm not sure what he did with it after that- but he scooped me up into his arms.

Carrying me like a groom carries a bride after their dream wedding, Deidara moved me back into the dank, darkness of my cell. It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be; either I was too light or he was well muscled- and pressed up against his chest it was probably the latter- but both played a part. At the door of my cell he awkwardly put the key in the door and turned it so it would lock automatically when he closed it- so he wouldn't forget to again later. I mentally sighed with relief- I lived!

He walked in to the darkness carrying me, and by habit kicked the door closed behind himself. I felt Deidara cringe once the door clicked locked. Locking Deidara in my cell with me.

-----End-----

----- Word Count: 3,050-----


	9. Chapter 9

_----- I got Captured by Deidara -----_

_----- By: Terrier.Z -----_

_----- Chapter Nine: Attitudes are contagious- mine just might kill you. -----_

It is probably not a good thing to get locked in a room with someone who just punched you with out too much provoking and happens to be an S-ranked criminal. Scratch that it is _definitely_ not a good thing; it can be qualified as 'funny' though. Deidara really needs to get a cookie for this one.

In frustration -and with little regard to my wellbeing- he threw his arms down, and poor little me went tumbling into to the floor. I braced my body for the impact as best as I could without look like I was awake. It wasn't so bad; I kind of rolled off his arms on to the cold surface. I let the laws of physics dictate where my limbs went. I wound up on my side with an arm under my head- at the laws of physics seemed to like me.

I had a coughing fit- it was the only way to hide my roar of laughter. The only way this idiot got to his ranking was by sheer, dumb luck and a lot of it at that. Who wants a dolt, which locks himself in with the prisoner, in their village?

Thankfully the darkness worked to my advantage, Deidara wouldn't be able to see much of anything even after his eye had adjusted to the blackness. I could already see my hand. It was like my eyes had adjusted to being in long-term darkness, they could see in the dark much quicker and better then a normal persons eye could. But Deidara's eyes were only adjusting to short-term darkness; his eyes would take a minute or two to adjust and only adjust to half their full potential.

Deidara scuffed the floor with his foot cursing wildly. I bit my lip to keep myself from snickering. I listened to Deidara for the next for minutes, as he stormed around the cave. Deidara wasn't settling down so I began to think about what I had just read.

Akatsuki was planning to attack Sunakagure for the one-tail; after a second of digging around in my memories I came up with the name-Shukaku. I smiled grimily, it wasn't good when anybody messed with Bijuu, let alone missin-nin! My thoughts lead back to why they needed me to be locked up here. I'm sure that they didn't capture me just to be a pet….Oh! I must be a blood sacrifice or something then! Or maybe they are going to re-seal all the Biju in their members… that would be bad. Maybe they thought _I_ was a Bijuu?

I snorted at my delusional thinking. In the background Deidara tripped over an invisible rock in the cell, he landed with a disgruntled 'oof' sound. This was going to be hilarious.

"God damn it no wonder she never moves around!" Deidara seethed under his breath as he got back up. After a few more rounds of kicking around the cell, he came over to me nudged me with his foot, sighed disgustedly, and went to sit somewhere by the wall.

I was still in a shinobi mode so my mind started to plan ahead a little ways. There were at least two keys, the one the lock right now, and the spare one which I have. I needed to get Deidara out of here before Sasori comes back and asks why Deidara locked himself in here. Deidara was in much to bad of a mood to risk using my key to get us out of here-besides, I was suppose to have fainted and the key was in my bra right next to the pilfered knife. I needed to calm Deidara down and get him into a good mood so when I get my key out he won't punch me again. Correct that _try _to punch me; next time I would do better. I had promised myself I was going to see my friends and family again!

I tried to think over something to say to Deidara when it occurred to me that I wasn't sure how unconscious people woke up. In stories their friends are always leaning over them when they wake up and after a second they catch on and sit or stand up wildly looking about. This was going to look stupid. I must have looked ridiculous as it was with a black eye, a sore cheek and rivers of blood flowing from my nose. I wiggled my nose and another glob of blood ran down my face.

Why didn't Deidara just break down the door? He obviously had decided he couldn't. For reasons I could only guess at. He was too weak. He would have to explain to his superiors why he needed to break down the door. Or maybe the door was magical! Yea, that is definitely it. Well on the non-sarcastic side it _could _have some sort of chakra barrier in it, or something alone those lines.

I listened for Deidara, he was walking toward me. I decided to play possum a little longer, just to see what he would do. Deidara sighed then crouched down. I pretended to be innocently dreaming about cupcakes and Bambi. My breath was slow and deep, blowing a strand of my hair off my face every time I breathed. I wouldn't say I looked like a sleeping angel though, my hair resembled a rat's pelt, and I had a black eye and blood smeared across my face. I had a scratch above my left eye from tripping in the bathroom and my complexion was as pale as a vampire. The outfit I had chosen that fateful morning was in tatters and rags. I was a little sleeping hellcat; I guess that is more of an apt description of me at the time.

Which brings me to this. Why would someone want to touch me if I looked like I had just been chewed up and spit out? Unless I was being bribed with money -or baked goods- I would never have. Deidara must have a really odd taste in girls. He leaned over my shoulder and brushed the strand of hair, which was tickling my face, away and tucked it back in place behind my ear. I clenched my jaw together; if he was my lover or a good friend I _might_ have let him gotten away with that, but he had just punched me in my face…twice!

My muscles convulsively tightened- preparing. Deidara's hand hovered over my cheek, wondering if I had woken up. I restrained myself only with the notion of pain. If I attacked again I would lose again, that would mean being in more pain. I highly doubted another well timed fainting spell was going to work again.

Deidara rolled me over on to my back, my hair flopped out of my face. I stayed 'asleep' though. He huffed as if inwardly debating something, and then brought a kunai out from in side his cloak. I knew it was a kunai only because he twirled it around his finger once or twice. I had the habit of doing that too back when I owned kunai so I'd recognize the trade mark _swooshing_ sound anywhere. I mentally froze; was he going to murder me? I panicked running scenarios through my mind, all of which came out to me on the ground in a pool of my blood and maybe severed limbs strewn across the cave.

Deidara held the collar of my hoodie, elevating me above the ground. My eye bow twitched. Just _what_ did he think he was doing? A…normal person would have chosen to wake up by now. But with my attitude and logic, of course I didn't. It's a good thing no one else was imprisoned there with me, attitudes can be rather contagious, and mine just might kill you. So I continued to pretend I was out cold on the floor.

Deidara was still crouched over me. Doing what I didn't know, I _hope _it wasn't looking at me. If that was the case I really don't want to know what he was thinking about, I don't even want to imagine. I was becoming rather uncomfortable being 'asleep'.

From my observations Deidara was most likely mentally debating himself on what to do next. He released the edge of my sweater and I collapsed back on to the floor. My head, for the second time that day, hit the floor with a _crack_ noise. I groaned as the pain swelled in my head and started to hammer at the ends of my nerves. Throb….throb…throb.

Deidara placed a hand on my forehead. This time it wasn't the gesture that bothered me, it was the feel. Deidara's palm was quite damp, like he was breathing on his hand. It triggered a thought in that back of my mind. When I had fallen asleep on their couch the other day Deidara had woken me up, at that time something licked me. I mentally snorted as I pictured Deidara having mouths on his hands or something..

I knew he had been standing over me, when I was on the couch. No way had he bent down to my level and stood up without me hearing his cloak rustle. Or perhaps he was just nervous and his hands were sweating. Ok then:

Option A: He is nervous and his hands are sweating; it is clearly a mistake that he got to this ranking, maybe he isn't even an S-ranked criminal.

Option B: Deidara is a freak of nature and has mouths on the palms of his hands.

I picked 'Option B' just to have something to muse about later on when the boredom set in.

In the mean time, while I hypothesizing, Deidara was softly trailing his nails up the side of my face. It was nicest thing I had felt in awhile; a soft tickling sensation left in the wake of his hand. I sighed heavily, wanting to sink into the depths of a plush bed and really fall asleep. Deidara's hand froze in place, judging if I was waking up. Not sure what to do I made my face twitch then rolled over onto my left side

The room was getting colder. Rolling over had disturbed the air and a current of cold air rushed at me. I shivered. Deidara chuckled in the darkness. I pictured him with his smirk plastered on his face, and tried to ignore the butterflies in my stomach. Maybe I should wake up now…

I opened my eyes. After blinking a few times to stave off real sleepiness, I stretched out my good arm. I tucked my limb back underneath me, it _was_ getting cold.

"Decided to join the world of the living, hm?" Deidara spoke in my ear. He still didn't sound too happy with me. Maybe I was better off asleep. Ill go with that idea.

I turned over further and pulled my hood over my head. We loose most of our body heat through our ears after all.

"The world of the dead is nicer. Cozier. Warmer." I half heartedly mumbled in response.

I was planning on attempting to really fall asleep. I had nothing to gain by being awake with Deidara, except maybe the loss of my head. I like my head where it is now. I curled up in a ball to conserve energy. I would have thought he would be happy if I fell asleep, I suppose he was just very bored by then, and I was the only thing there to harass. So he bothered me.

"Come on get up Clary, hm." His voice was monotone, he sounded utterly bored.

I ignored him.

"Cla-ry" He sounded like a five year old begging to go to the park.

Poke. He has the maturity of a five year old too.

Poke. God this was going to get annoying.

Yank. He tried to unravel me from my ball. I hugged my knees tighter to my torso.

Yank. So maybe I was being a little immature myself. I don't care; I have the right to sleep in peace!

Yank.

Yank. That was it. I flung around and smacked him squarely in the face. That better leave a nice hand print on his cheek.

My eyes widen as I watched Deidara's expression go from shocked to plain angry again. I think I was developing a death wish.

"Don't you dare hit me back!" It is a nice threat if you have something to back it up with, like a knight in shiny armor or handsome fiancé who is 6'4 and has ripped abs..

"Why shouldn't I, hm?" It looked like it took all his self restraint- not that there is much of that- to hold himself back.

I needed something to hold over his head, barging chips so to speak. He thought of himself as an artist. There's something, he considers himself more… refined, a gentlemen. What an oxymoron an S-ranked murder who is a gentleman.

"Gentlemen don't hit ladies." I retorted virtuously, and fixed my posture so I wasn't half slouched on the ground, but sitting on my calves.

Not that I was much of lady at the time. I certainly didn't fit the part. A lady is a woman who in her presence a man acts like a gentleman. Hey, according to that definition all I needed was for Deidara to be gracious and-whoopee! - I'm a lady!

"It is not like you're very ladylike right now, hm"

"What did I do?" I asked innocently like a little child.

"You must have short-term memory loss. Hm .You, bitch, slapped me!" I sensed increasing tension, and made sure my sandals had a firm base on the floor.

"You were poking at me! And I am mostly likely suffering from long-term memory loss as well."

He was getting angrier- oh well. It's just an enraged Deidara. Not like it doesn't happen every encounter. Maybe a little over a half, so eight-twelve's ish. Wait that just reduces out to two-thirds. I'll say maybe fifteen out of twenty-five times he get morbidly pissed off at me. I broke out of my mind ramblings to see Deidara lugging a fist at me. Geez, someone needs to go to anger management classes.

I swiftly pushed sideways on the sole's of my feet using chakra for maximum effect, vaulting to my left; I did a sliding land and wound up well out of Deidara's reach. Safe to antagonize him some more. I went into a crouched position, so at a seconds notice I could escape again.

"Geez, someone needs to go to anger management classes don't they. They might also needed to re-do kindergarten. Obviously they didn't learn to keep their hand to them selves."

I could bait him now that I had the geographic advantage. I knew the cave like the back of my hand. In the inky darkness that was a significant factor. I didn't really calculate in the factor that he had years more combat experience then me.

"You're rather immature yourself." He got to his feet.

"I guess I have to plead guilty to that one. But I have yet become violent unprovoked."

"Randomly slapping people doesn't count, hm?"

I leapt to my feet unaware that I did so for a few seconds "YOU were poking at me."

"Oh no! Clary got poked she is going to die! Call the medics!"

"It hurts! Unlike you I have been sleeping on rocks for the last… eh, who knows how long!"

"Shinobi sleep on the ground all the time!"

"Then they should know how it feels to be sleep deprived!"

"All you ever do is sleep!"

"My mother was a sloth, it runs in my blood."

"…." Silence.

Beating around the bush wasn't going to last much longer. Deidara's silhouette loomed ominously in the darkness a few feet away. I tried to reason with myself that I should just say sorry and go cower in a corner. Never! I had a perfect chance to make a nuisance of myself and I wasn't going to pass it up.

"Why don't you break down the door or something? For heavens sake you're an S-ranked criminal shinobi!" He seethed in the darkness. Fists clenched. I waited impatiently in the dark, he didn't answer immediately, so I probed onward. "Are you even an S-ranked person? I keep assuming that you are, but I have no real evidence that supports that, you know…" I started to ramble.

"You really need to shut up, hm!" His voice was low and quiet; full of authority.

I glared defiantly at him. "Make me."

He smirked and stepped forward. My courage melted away and the blood rushed from my face leaving me like a pale porcelain doll -breakable. I shrank away, taking a step back to be next to the wall. Maybe that wasn't such a good choice of words.

Any sane person might have started to say apologize and plead. Not me! I got myself into this mess I could get myself out! In what condition I didn't really know, but eventually I'll heal so that's no biggie. I stubbornly glared up at Deidara. Damn my genetics for making me so short!

Two headstrong people, who are on opposites sides of the battle field, won't last long together in a confined space. One will have to back down or be beaten back. And one thing was for sure- I wasn't going down.

-----End-----

----- Word Count: 2, 910 -----

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this one! Upon reading this chapter for the second time since I wrote it, I found that I actually like this chapter.

-Terrier


	10. Chapter 10

-----I got Captured by Deidara-----

-----By: Terrier.Z-----

-----Chapter Ten: Dreams are Like Rainbows; Only Idiots Chase Them-----

After inputting careful calculations into my plan, I have to admit, my chances weren't good. My chances are never good, the odds are always against me, yet I always manage to survive. My one talent; the ability to survive when put into extraordinarily dangerous situations. That was about to only reassurance I had.

I mean after all, look at who I was going up against. Deidara. A full grown man in peak condition and who is at _least_ half a foot taller than me. He was also well muscled- he carried me with not that much after all. That alone should make it impossible for me to win a fight against him. Now if you added in the fact that he is a deadly shinobi that has merciless murdered people; that drowns out all chances of success. For example he considerers blowing people to kingdom come _'art'_. About the only thing I would kill was bugs. I don't like insects and spiders. So unless Deidara was a spider I wouldn't be able to do much.

An important rule about combat is that you have to fight with the intent to kill. I don't really like hurting people. I feel guilty. I needed to be in a killer mindset; unless Deidara was a bug I had no chance at this at all. So that is what I would consider Deidara for the moment. A crawly insect that is infesting my room. Hey, I might actually do something this time!

Deidara sauntered over toward me. He had his hand in his pocket, which was odd since he had to push back his heavy Akatsuki cloak to do so. If he was trying to look cool it wasn't working.

Deidara had no clay, or he would have blown the door down by now. So I shouldn't have to worry about that. If he did have clay…I ran through a worst case scenario…I'd postpone our fight. I had the rock and mirror- and a knife down my shirt if that helps any. Also I had memorized the cave layout; where the floor had a crack in it, the areas with stones, and the walls with the slant on them.

I readied myself. Unspoken, we both knew we were going to fight. I was absolutely itching to start fighting. I had picked a fight with him after all; I had been doing so for awhile. Pushing all his buttons, taunting and contradicting him. Bring it! I must have looked fiendish. Hair wild, eyes bright and lively, blood splattering my face. I wiped my mouth, as best I could, with my sleeve; didn't need to be swallowing blood during this.

Deidara seemed hesitant; maybe he didn't want to hurt me. Well that is his problem. If he doesn't want to get in trouble he shouldn't have locked himself in here- the retard. Deidara seemed to be uneasy with my attitude.

I must be unique to this world. The only person who wants to fight s-class criminals. I'd even have taken on Sasori I was so cocky at the moment. So foolish. Just because you're unique doesn't mean you're useful.

Regardless, I slid my right foot back and brought my left arm up to a guarding position. The problem was that now the hand that is supposed to be punching is the bad arm. Details, shmetails I'll deal with that complication later.

"Why don't you just back down Clary, hm?" Trying to scare me out of it. Never!

"Nope, I want to fight." I am not letting a puny insect scare me!

"Do you have a _death wish, _hm?" He asked. Despite how I act, no.

"What else do I dream about when I spend all that time sleeping?" That couldn't be more false. I never want to die. I love being alive.

Deidara sneered at me before answering. "Dreams and rainbows are the same, only idiots chase them, hm!"

"Good thing I am an idiot than." Now that was a true statement, no denying it.

"Very good thing." I quizzically looked up at him, raising an eyebrow.

He looked at ease. I didn't like that. He was smirking confidently at me. I shot a death glare at him. He slyly grinned at me, like a lion watching a naïve little lamb. I got flustered. I wasn't scared flustered; I was flustered in 'wow he looks so damn nice'. The lamb wasn't naïve it was just plain stupid. I shook my head to clear myself of absurd thoughts. He is an insect after all. I need to squash him. The alter ego of my chimed in the back of my mind- does hugging him count as squashing him? There goes my killer attitude.

To prove my mind that I _could_ and _would_ win this, I attacked. Pivoting on my left foot I swung my right heel towards his jaw. I didn't technically miss his face, my leg wasn't stretched enough to reach it. I settled for a spin kick into his arm instead.

That part worked well enough. Deidara countered attacked. Due to my lack of training, I had let my arms just swing around my body instead of keeping them up for defense. He took advantage of that. His hand shot out and caught my neck. Helpless, I kicked at him, as he shoved me into a wall. Shit! I shot him another death glare. Why can't my evil plans ever work out like their ones do; flawlessly?

Deidara kept a firm grip on my neck. All he had to do was twist his wrist and I would be dead. He was still smirking. Time for plan 'B'. Which was?

"Hold still." Annoyed that though he had a death drip on my neck I was still struggling. Who wouldn't be?

I tugged at his one hand with both of mine, it didn't budge. His other was manipulating something in his hand. Clay. Both of my arms were free, I was just using them uselessly. New plan of action, get him to use that hand for something other than clay. I shoved my dirty hands into his face. I dug my nails into his flesh and tugged at his long hair.

Deidara yelped and used his body to ram me furtherer into the rock; he didn't use his other hand though. We must have looked totally hilarious. I was running out of oxygen. After a moment of shoving at each other. Deidara bit my neck. Not with his mouth…err…normal mouth. He used his hand. Well that confirms that theory.

Instinctively, I clawed at my neck, in vain. Deidara held up his spare hand. A miniature frog hopped off onto my shoulder, going out of my view, but I felt its tiny weight there. For a moment I wondered if that could really kill me.

Remembering the destruction of the caravan, I sighed in resignation. I can lose a battle, but still win the war. I held my hands up. Deidara stopped biting my neck and his grip loosened so I could breath, though he still held on with a vise like grip. His spare hand formed into a hand sign. I froze, was he really going to make it explode on me?

"See that frog, hm?"

"Yes." I surprised to find that my throat was so dry. I despise sounding meek.

"If you keep struggling, hm, I'll teach you a lesson on art."

Art? No, it's called an explosion. A fiery force that could easy decapitate me and char any remains I leave behind.

I swallowed to give some volume to my question. "And if I stop will Mr. Froggy go away?"

"No, 'Mr. Froggy' is going to stay with us until I get out of here; you obviously don't know when to stop, hm." His hand loosened a little.

"Ok, ok. Can you let go of me then?"

He stared at me suspiciously before wording his reply. "If I didn't think you were going to attack again I would."

He had guessed at what I was thinking. I pouted; I really didn't want to be stuck to the wall like this for much longer. It was getting unbearably uncomfortable.

"Pretty please? I'll behave." Ok, it was a lie, but I didn't like the situation right now. I was absolutely powerless.

For an answer Deidara had his hand lick my neck. EW; so gross and immature. There will always be immature people in this world. I stuck my tongue out at him- and guess I'm one of them.

After a minute or two of watching Deidara think. I wasn't _really_ watching him think; I was watching his features, it was a perfectly good opportunity and excuse to do so. Deidara undid his cloak with one hand. I lurched backward. What the hell was he doing!

He noticed my disturbed expression.

"You want off the wall right, hm?" I wondered if that had a double meaning to it.

I just stared at him incredulously. His hand undid the rest of his cloak. My heart was beating faster and faster as I watched. Deidara grinned rakishly at me. It scared me. Well two things did. The first was, yes, he was smiling his unsettling grin and second was me the sudden urge to run my hands over his chiseled chest. Total delinquency I tell you…

His hand released my neck and gripped my _left_ shoulder. I stress the word left because if he had meant me harm he would have held onto my bad arm, the right shoulder. Or he could just have been a qui. I rubbed my neck, and the spot where Deidara bit me- I wonder if that counts as a hickey. I glared at him suspiciously.

"Here, hm," Deidara tossed his heavy cloak over my shoulders, "That should restrict your movements enough."

When I say heavy, I mean _heavy_. My clothes had been oversized for me, but this was super-sized. Once Deidara got me to pull my arms through the sleeves, I was practically immobile. The sleeves were long enough to cover his hands with several inches to spare; my arms were lost in the folds of dense fabric. Deidara fastened it up for me. The thing could easily be serve me as a tent. The neckband came up to the bridge of my nose, partially impairing my vision. If I tried to run anywhere I would trip on the excess material piling around my feet. Subdued by a cloak, damn. Deidara snickered at me.

"What is this _thing_ made of?" I asked, taking note that the frog figurine was taking shelter inside my neck band.

"I don't know specifically, but it is fire-proof which is why it is so heavy."

"Gee, thanks…at least I won't burn to death now." So Akatsuki had fire-proof cloaks- who in the world designed them like that? Do they have a pyromaniac's issue?

I hobbled forward, and stumbled. This was absolutely ridiculous! There goes all dignity and grace. Deidara caught me before I fell on my face.

"So this is your genius plan to keep me from murdering you?"

"Yea."

"But you will still die. If not by me the temperature will kill you now." All he had covering his torso was mesh shirt and a kunai-protector vest.

He frowned. I now had probably the most effective thing against the cold in here. I didn't mention the blanket in my corner; he seemed to have forgotten it for the moment. He looked at me and stepped forward reaching toward me.

"Hey, hey, watch it! You're invading my personal bubble."

"You're the only thing that is warm in here though, hm! Do you want me to freeze to death?"

"It's a down right miracle! He figured it out all by himself! Did you know that one plus one equals two, as well? Oh my God! Epiphany!"

I guess I was being a sore loser. He kinda of snarled at me, I smirked and pointed out the blanket for him. No way was he going to use me to stay warm. All persons for themselves in here- it's a free-for-all! Why I pointed out the blanket for him then I don't know…

While Deidara was dusting off my blanket I went –cautiously so I wouldn't trip- to the middle of the room, or just about. I scuffed a line in the dust or dirt, one of two. Deidara watched me curiously and then he became bemused as he caught on to my plan.

"Don't tell me I am supposed to stay on this side of the cell, hm?" He walked forward to the line I had drawn.

"Exactly! Don't cross this line! Ok? You stay on that side and I stay on this side."

He scoffed at my ingenious plan. How dare he.

"You get more of the room though, hm!" He took a giant step forward and scratched out a new line. My line had been fairer about distributing the halves; his division of the space gave him two-thirds of the room. And he has the side my corner was on. I bit my lip considering. He was baiting me, but I wouldn't bite.

"Fine, now stay over there!" I extended the line to the full length of the wall, and retreated the middle of my half.

Sinuously I folded my self onto the floor in a cross-legged sitting position. Or that was what I would have wanted to happen. Instead I managed to look like a mentally challenged pigeon and, in a sort, flopped/ fell down. I held my head high and swept the ends of the cloak around me.

Snickering, Deidara watched me hunker down. At least someone found this amusing; on a better day and in future I probably would too, but for now it was just plain irritating.

Deidara settled down in, leaning against the opposite wall directly across from me. Grrr. It took all my self-restraint and an oversized piece of clothing to restrain me. I was expecting to have to defend my part of the room from Deidara, but he made no motion to try to invade my side though. Good.

The temperature plummeted. If there was more visibility I probably could've seen my breath in the air. My fingers and toes were going numb despite the heavy cloak. The only comfort was that Deidara would freeze in here with me. When I asked Deidara about it he said that he hadn't been able to restock the furnace room. It was a pointed comment, blaming me for our misfortune. I smiled sheepishly and blew on my hands to warm them.

I still had the key and mini-knife. Carefully patted my chest, like I was coughing, to check if it was still there- paranoia was closing in on me. I couldn't really use them now. Deidara was watching me continuously. It made me uncomfortable enough to go to the bathroom and wash my face, closing the door behind me.

The water wasn't at all high quality. I splashed my face with a handful of water and rubbed. Mr. Froggy crawled out from my clothing and on to the wall to watch me. Then I made a mistake- a big one. I wasn't thinking when I did this… but I decided to rinse my hair out too. I flipped my dripping wet hair out of my face, slicking it back. My head was freezing cold. People can die from having wet hair in the cold. Death by wet hair, doesn't sound like a very heroic way to go does it?

"Shit…"

I squeezed as much water as I could out of my hair. Still sopping wet. My teeth began to chatter furiously. Frustrated I hoped up and waved my floppy sleeves franticly in the air. I used the end of the sleeve to dry my face and dry my hair as much as I could. When, after several long minutes of silence, Deidara called from outside.

"Clary you'd better not be committing suicide in there, hm!"

"Uhh, does that include non-intentional suicide?"

"Hm?"

"I kinda got my hair wet."

"So what? It'll dry out soon, hm."

"Like I thoroughly rinsed my hair kinda wet."

Silence for a moment and then, "God damn it, hm! Do you have no sense of self-preservation Clary?" Ahaha…I sure know how to ruin peoples days. I held out my hand for the tiny clay bomb to jump climb onto.

"That sense has been slacking a little bit lately hasn't it?" I emerged from the door to find Deidara on MY side of room- in other words he was way to close for comfort. "Get off MY side, Deidara!"

He rolled his visible eye, and then I watched him do a double take at me. I think that was the first time I used his name out loud. I put on a scowl and pointed him away from my side of the cave.

Deidara looked like he was going to argue so I threw up a hand like I was directing traffic. He shook his head at me and walked back to his side and sat down again. I went to a corner this time and huddled up into a ball to sleep.

I was tired. It was cold. I was shivering because of my choice to wash my hair. At least I would be clean when I froze to death…my eye lids fluttered shut. I don't know about you but when I get really sleepy _nothing matters_. As long as I can sleep, the world can blow up for all I care. Sleep is the only thing that matters.

So I didn't really care when Deidara crossed onto my side of the room sighing and muttering about idiocy. I didn't care when Deidara huddled down next to me. Or when he hugged me possessively like a teddy bear. Actually it felt nice. Nice and warm, I snuggled down in his arms. I didn't care that I was snuggling in the arms of a very dangerous man.

Maybe I was dreaming, my mind had finally broken down from the stress and this was some kind of delusion. Who cares? Not me; for I was falling asleep! That all that matters- sleep. And that was the first time I fell asleep, curled up in Deidara's arms.

-----End-----

-----Word Count: 3,053 -----


	11. Chapter 11

Everyone has had the experience of waking up when they _really_ don't want to. For most they sigh and wonder how they will be able to face the day. Some of them have a special person who will wrap their arms and around them; holding them close, comforting them. Most people want and dream about having that special someone- I did too. Who doesn't want to fall for a strong man who will protect you and love you forever?

When I first woke up I didn't open my eyes, I didn't want to dispel the illusion. I was being held in someone arms, snuggled up against their warm chest, listening to their heartbeat. I wanted to believe that I was really safe in his arms from the horrors in my life. But how could I be safe in the arms of a mass murderer?

I was still sleepy, so I pushed the thought away to deal with another time. For now I _was_ safe, happy, protected. It felt right, like I belonged there. It was the first time in awhile that I had been thinking clearly; my mind wasn't shrouded by lunacy. I wasn't about to let little details ruin it. I fell back in to a peaceful sleep without having even opened my eyes.

------Several hours later-------

It took me only a second, after I awoke, to register my situation. The problem; I was seated in Deidara's lap. The other problem; I was so cozily nestled there, I didn't want to move. These are types of situations I hate the most-dilemmas.

After several minutes of debating I decided not to move. The room's frigid air was a large factor in my decision. I would wait till Deidara woke up and then see what he did, and deal with the complications later.

Risking a glance at Deidara I studied his face. His eyes were lightly closed, breathing shallow but steady, his lips were slightly curved upward in a smirk –at least someone around here didn't have bizarre dreams. I had just woken from a dream about leading a squad to save my good friend Ami from her arranged marriage's wedding- Ami had a knack for becoming a damsel in distress, I was more like a distressful damsel.

I couldn't clearly remember Deidara coming over here at all. A few questions occupied my time as I waited. Why hadn't I protested? Did he threaten me with that damn frog again? If he had a frog why wouldn't he use it to blow the door away? I puzzled over that last question. Maybe…maybe he had different types of clay bombs, and this one wouldn't be able to blow open the door. Then I have nothing to be afraid of; if the frog couldn't handle demolishing the door then I shouldn't really be scared of it. Unless… I sighed as I considered the other side of it, the frog could be _too _powerful and it would kill us both if he tried. In that case, yes, I should be scared of a little clay frog. Damn Mr. Froggy!

As I seethed about my new worst problem- the clay figurine- I checked over my condition. I had a black eye that was painful to prod. My broken, half healed arm was fine, just a little sore from waving it about so much. The bloody nose seemed ok, I wasn't really sure what to be looking for, it hadn't been broken or anything. My hair had dried off and was light and clean- definitely worth the risk. I also was facing a new enemy. Hunger.

Quite a bit of time had passed since I was last fed. Two sleeps ago, so roughly…

never mind, it is too much of an effort to figure out. It was too long ago and that's all that matters. My stomach grumbled, my toes were freezing, my head throbbed.

I concentrated on making plans for the future; once I got Deidara out of my room I would collect as much information as I could. It is sort of my duty to my village after all. When I 'retired' from active service I was put on an emergency back up list of Takigakure, for well emergencies. Not that I would be of much use unless they are having the backup shinobi run away…ok, so maybe only unless they were having us do some sort of suicidal attack. Still I would be coward and run away- screw them I like being alive.

So once I got information I'd give –no, sell- it to Takigakure. I would go back and visit…

My heart nearly stopped. I…I wouldn't be able to go back. I was supposed to be _dead _already. When the massacre of the caravan was found –I cringed realizing I was in the arms of culprit- they wouldn't be able to tell one mutilated body from the next, one less corpse was no big difference. My breathing was going uneven. I might have all ready had _my _funeral!Hot tears seared the edges of my eyes as the welled up. If I went back they wouldn't believe my story.

Waltzing in and saying 'Oh hey guys I –the genin drop-out -escaped Akatsuki and have important information on them' just wouldn't work. I would be arrested and interrogated.

And after hours of telling the truth -that they though without a doubt was a lie- I'd be done for. I'd be most likely be killed, or in a better worst case scenario imprisoned for life. My whole damn life was screwed up now!

Tears of rage and remorse streamed down my face. My shoulders violently shuddered, and started sobbed. I bit my lip; I couldn't let Deidara wake up to see me in tears. Now I couldn't even mourn the loss of my friends, family…life. I took three deep breaths; a trick I learned that helps you stop crying, almost annoying if you want to be sad and have people feel sorry for you. I rubbed my eyes with a floppy sleeve, sniffling. My eyes still stung, I closed them and felt a burning sensation. I really needed to get a painkiller. I pressed the heels of my hands into my eyes, it felt a little better.

"I think this is the first time I have seen you cry Clary, hm. What brought this on?"

Deidara shifted into a more upright position pulling me along with a sturdy arm. Grrr, he wasn't supposed to be awake and definitely wasn't supposed to see me crying. I halfheartedly raised an arm to slap him. Sighing, Deidara caught my arm and tucked it back against my body, he didn't release his grip on my arm though.

"Back to being violent again, hm?"

"Am I not allowed to stretch my arms now too?"

He snorted at me. "You admit to being a suicidal idiot, but not to trying to slap me...such a hypocrite, hm!"

"Fine, I was gleefully trying to slap you, but that was the incorrect use of hypocrite." I wasn't really sure about the incorrect usage thing, I just needed to make sure Deidara wasn't totally winning the…the contest thingy.

"Gleefully? You were certainly not _gleefully_ doing anything, still aren't hm," Apparently I wasn't the only one with power struggle issues. Just have to have the last word "Which brings me back to my original question, hm. Why are you crying?"

"Well," I added a sniffle in to be realistic "My pet hamster," Fake sobbing, "Died!" Like I would tell him the _real_ reason.

"You liar, you don't have a pet hamster, hm. And how would you know he died?"

"That's not entirely a lie. I DO have a pet hamster-it's named Mercy." I told Deidara proudly.

"Its? As in it has no gender. Poor thing- being bestowed in _your_ care."

I glared at Deidara. It wasn't my care I was worried about. "I couldn't tell what gender it is. And Mercy might actually be dead."

"Did you not give him, her…it to someone to take care of then, hm?"

"Well I did leave it in someone's care; it's just that I shudder to think of poor Mercy with one of Ami's bows around its neck- strangling it." Ami had a thing for dressing pets up in ridiculous outfits

"You really need to go to therapy Clary, hm."

Bewildered I asked: "Why?"

He gave me a quizzical expression and then shook his head; his hair tickling my face.

"Instead of talking about my hamster shouldn't we be breaking down the door or something?"

"It has a trap set in place, hm. If you try to break it down it will set the trap off, and then you'll get killed."

"Couldn't we falsely set the trap off then?"

"No; Sasori designed the traps."

"Well, damn…wait I hit the door once and it didn't go off!"

"Because you didn't actually forcefully budge the door any, hm."

"I refuse to die of starvation! That is just…pitiful. Do something Deidara; you're an s-ranked shinobi for god's sake!"

"Not like your doing much, hm!"

"Well I'm not a ninja. It's not my job to figure these things out!"

"I'm thinking."

"Just as hard as me?" Not that I was really trying to think of anything important.

The corners of his mouth twitched. "Just about, hm."

"So if I think harder you will to?"

"Sure, hm"

After maybe five seconds of seriously considering escape plans, I gave up entirely; screw this life. I sighed and leaned back a little into the crook of Deidara's shoulder.

"Sure your thinking hard there Clary, hm?" Deidara snidely remarked. Not in the mood for fighting I didn't pounce on the barbed comment.

"Nope."

I started to push off Deidara and get up to go sit by myself. Thanks to his cloak I wouldn't freeze to death and he would, how ironic. I didn't go very far, just a few centimeters, before Deidara pulled –hugged- me closer; holding me like a little child cradles a teddy bear in their lap. The shared body warmth was nice, but his hold was firm and wouldn't let me twist around or move away at all.

More importantly I couldn't get to the key. We were going to die because Deidara wasn't letting me have a chance to fish the key out of my shirt. That would also be a rather ironic death. I could have gotten it when I was rinsing my hair, but Deidara would have been umm…quite pissed, to say the least, at me if I showed him the stolen key. I would also die in that scenario, and Deidara would live. The current version of the story would have both me and Deidara die- I would be, at least, bringing someone with me. Why can't there be one scenario were I live? Just one?

A shiver ran down my spine when I thought of the case were I _would_ survive.

"Too cold for you, hm? You are from the desert after all."

I shivered again. "Much too cold." My mind went off ticking though. They thought I was from the desert…

I compared the pros and cons of the surviving scenario. On the good side, yes, I do live to see another day. But how many more? Would it be better for humanity if I wiped out Deidara- and my genes from the gene pool? And there might be afterward complications with this plan.

The plan? Befriend Deidara. It's one of those big no-no's in life; don't befriend (or in other ways lead on) serial killers, psychopaths and, or dangerous enemies. To live or die? To befriend or not to befriend? It wasn't nearly as hard as it should have been-easier then my first dilemma of the day.

Being the selfish coward that I am; I chose life, I could deal with any complications later –when I was alive. Step one; Befriend Deidara. Step Two; Obtain the key when Deidara isn't looking (or wouldn't care that I had had the key all along). Step Three; Covertly unlock the door. Step Four; Get myself and Deidara out of the room and answer any questions Deidara might have about how I magically unlocked the door. A nice basic four step plan; sounds nice and easy. What can I say; I'm an ingenuous escape artist. Step one I was already partially into; I was sitting in his lap wasn't I?

Details I always elaborate on and tackle only when it's absolutely necessary to do so. Deal with it when the time comes, a classic philosophy of mine. With that attitude it's a miracle of nature that I lived to turn nineteen isn't it?

I prepared myself to plunge headfirst into my asinine plan. How in the world do you make friends with a person who kills and considers it art? Beyond me at the time, and besides it was just another detail.

A/N: Lets see if my poor character will get any where with her 'asinine' plan, shall we?

I apologize for the shortness of this chapter, but I have an excuse this time; it was fourteenth birthday, hurray! Oh and it got late on me again; 1:16 am. I am so much more productive and creative during the night though. As always I hope you enjoyed reading it- even if it was kind of a filler chapter. Better then nothing though right? _Terrier_

_**Terrier's Complaint Box**_

(I am actually complaining this time, and I'll warn you. If you have a story that deals with Akatsuki you might not want to read if you're sensitive to complaints. )

Ok, I have been reading Fanfics for quite a while now and there seems to be some type of myth about this- Akatsuki that it. There is an overwhelming amount of stories that has Akatsuki having a hideout. I don't believe Akatsuki has one- at all. I know for stories (mine included) it needs to have a main setting and that these _are_ Fanfics, but please think this through.

If you read the manga and all you should know that the members of Akatsuki are not really friendly. The only pair of them that is semi-friendly is Itachi and Kisame; the rest would well…happily kill each other. Having them live together is a death warrant. And we all don't want the mass murders to die now do we? We'd have no one to fawn over!

Also it is very clear now that we have some anime of post-time skip that Akatsuki meets as holograms!

That has been bugging me for a long, long time. Sorry I just needed a place to vent. If you disagree with me then don't read my complaint boxes in the future, and please don't comment, just think it through before you write, please!

Thank you! I feel much less frustrated now and can finish writing the chapter!

Love, _Terrier_


	12. Chapter 12

I'm sorry too announce this confession -but despite what I would prefer to think- etiquette can actually be useful. It's a nice guide on how to get through difficult and important occasions. Other people learned how to survive the circumstance and you just follow their advice on what to do- easy, less effort it equals useful.

Though I still think it is over rated. Why? I have two reasons. One the people who thought up the rules got carried away with minute details. And the more personally influenced reason; because no one bothered to make up proper etiquette for how to befriend a murdered. Etiquette only works if there are rules that apply to your specific situation.

I would have absolutely loved to have had a useful survival guide for being held captive at that moment. Useful as in it says more than just be a good prisoner and wait to be rescued. I was tired of waiting. Time for action. I had followed the 'proper etiquette' so far; I had made a plan. What would be the 'proper etiquette' for Step One? I had no idea of how to get the plan in motion.

I tried to recall how I became friends with other people in the past. I talked to them about stuff and we became friends- things were always so easier when you were a kid. I had a sneaky suspicion that chatting about the weather outside wouldn't work. I needed a topic that Deidara would actually talk about. I was sure he really didn't want to be asked his favorite color.

I examined my finger nails, which resembled claws by now, churning over ideas about what ask Deidara. People in general like talking about themselves. I had a hunch that Deidara would easily carry on a conversation if I started one. I just needed a barbed comment that once he latched onto he would want to keep talking. In the grander scheme of things I was collecting data on Akatsuki…that's a good start.

I pretended to still be inspecting my nails. "So… Deidara…what is Akatsuki's main goal?" Brilliant way to start this conversation, eh?

"Excuse me, hm?"

I followed conversational etiquette and repeated myself. "What is Akatsuki's main goal? You know…the purpose of your little evil organization thingy."

"You really must have a mental health problem, hm!" He really likes to bring that up doesn't he? Almost every single conversation he mentions it.

"I think we've already established that by now. You didn't answer my question though!"

"Why would I tell you, hm?"

"Because I am a beautiful young lady and I politely asked you something, etiquette demands that you answer me!"

He snickered at me; I took that as his reply.

"Are you calling me ugly?"

"No, no you're a cute little women, hm." He tousled my hair lightly, "Just need to have a little shock therapy…"

"Oh geez thanks. I'm 'cute' just not sane."

"You welcome, hm!"

"I'd rather be in a slight state of insanity than normal though."

"Coming from the delinquent...Care to share any reasons why? I might join you in la-la land if their convincing, hm."

I masked my joy, Deidara was all too easy to manipulate. "Well, it gives you a different perspective on everything."

"Obviously, hm."

I shot him a death glare from over my shoulder he grinned back lazily. "And if you look at ordinary things in a different perspective it gives you something to do."

"So basically you've become insane to pass the time in here, hm?" He gestured toward the empty blackness before us.

"You're making it sound like I chose to…think differently. It's your fault that –" I wanted to finish my sentence and blame him for the insecurity of my mind. I couldn't; for the sake of completing Step One I had to avoid accusing and in other ways angering Deidara. Damn, this was going to be difficult. No, no…it's going to be easy! Positive attitude time! Easy like taking candy from a baby (which can be harder than it sounds).

"That I what, hm?"

"That it got so cold! Can't you start a fire or something?"

"Hm, and what could fuel it?"

"We can chop of your hair and burn it! Hair is pret-ty darn flammable."

"Now Clary, it's not nice to burn people's hair, hm!"

"Oops…it isn't?"

"No, you can go to jail for it, hm!"

"Have you been sentenced for burning hair then? Would that be a type of arson?"

He scoffed at my question. "No I haven't, hm. It would be a type of assault not arson though."

"You even know what it would be categorized as! That proves that you have been convicted of burning people's hair then!"

"No it doesn't, hm!"

"Poor Deidara ...got kicked out of Iwagakure because he was setting peoples hair on fire!"

"I was not, hm! Why can't you comprehend that?"

"Fine, fine…So is burning hair a type of art too?"

"You're hopeless...hm," He sighed heavily. His breath on the back of my neck was too warm in comparison to the frigid air around us. I stopped trying to lean away from him.

"And now you're sheltering in my arms." He rebuked.

"Did that etiquette book say I couldn't?"

"No, I suppose I didn't, hm."

After a moment silence Deidara tugged the ends of the blanket out from under me and around me, encompassing both of us in it.

"I would get in a lot of trouble if I let you freeze to death, hm."

"At least someone likes me enough to want me alive." I mumbled back.

"Don't go flattering yourself now Clary, hm!"

"If I don't flatter myself I would have probably committed suicide by now."

"So I compliment you'll stay alive, hm?"

"Sure."

"Than you're a very lovely young lady, hm!"

"You're just saying that to make your job easier!"

"You just said you wouldn't die if I compliment you, hm!"

"Correction; I said 'sure' that is a positive but absolute response, therefore I refuse!"

"What...hm? I don't speak Clarynese!"

"It didn't sound convincing! Say it again."

Deidara let out an irritated huff. I was dancing dangerously close to crossing the line between 'Happy Deidara' and 'Mad Deidara'. Maybe happy and mad are the wrong adjectives more like 'Sane Deidara' vs. 'Berserk Deidara'. Anyway the point was I needed to change the topic. This current one wasn't working.

"Ok, ok fine I already know I am beautiful, but I have a question."

"You always have questions, hm…"

"How cold can –will- it get in here? I mean I can see my breath in the air!"

"You can see your breath, hm? I mean see, like your eyes can actually see in here?

"Yea. Wait can you _still_ not see anything?" The light in the other room had gone off; the only source of light had now gone out. My guess is that the lamps had run out of fuel. This isn't the type of place that you would find electricity being installed.

"I never said I couldn't, hm!"

"Yea, but you- oh never mind!" I filed that fact and his reaction away for future use. He was undoubtedly arrogant and thus did not like people proving him weak. "Still, how cold is it going to get in here? I'd like to know if frost bite is going to be an issue- I like my toes non-popsiclized."

"I have seen ice form in here before, hm."

"So it goes below zero degrees?"

"Hm."

"I take it that Sasori is good with traps? So it is hard to falsely set them off?"

"Yea, were trapped in here. I would have gotten myself out if I could."

"Damn…"

"What? Did you really think I would let you out too?"

"No, but I was speculating if you were in here just to keep my company. To ward off complete insanity." I was sheepishly grinning as I admitted it a theory. Hey nothing is ever impossible!

"Sorry Clary, but it would be easy for us if you just went insane and stopped fussing, hm."

"Sorry Deidara, but women are forever going to be fussing- get use to it. It's hardwired into us."

"An unfortunate flaw in all women…"

"Hey, what's that suppose to mean!"

"Never mind, hm."

"Oh, that's right! You must have had a kunochi on your team back when you were a genin!"

I have always had a hard time of thinking of people when they were younger. All I do is shrink them down to the right height and try to picture them doing childish things. So in my mind's eye I watched a mini Deidara run around teasing his teammates- I wonder where the others are now. Dead most likely.

"You seem to know a lot about shinobi. You even think like one, hm!"

I shrugged a lopsided shrug. "Word gets around."

"Yes, but you think like one too, hm!"

"How do I think like a suicidal idiot?"

"Suicidal idiot? Is that what you think of shinobi, hm?"

"I suppose that's about right."

"That's very cynical of you, hm."

"Hey, I'm official insane now. Didn't we agree on that?"

"Is that going to be your new excuse for everything, hm?"

"Yup!"

I could almost feel Deidara glaring at the back of my head. The conversation was going well to my standards- we hadn't bitten each others heads off. My mind tried to remember how long it had taken for me to consider peoples 'friends' in the past. Memories of my childhood seemed very…distant; like they happened to someone else. It was fun being a kid: no worries just prancing about town, giggling, getting ice cream smeared across our faces, or maybe we were spreading rumors.

"What's you favorite color, hm?"

"Does it _really_ matter?"

"Not really…I was just starting a conversation." Apparently I wasn't the only one out of ideas, but I needed a conversation for Step One to succeed.

"I don't have one."

"You don't like colors, hm?"

"No, I like colors, I just like them all. There pretty- it's art."

"That can't qualify as 'art', hm!"

"Then how do explosions count?"

"Art is brief, fleeting. That single moment of destruction is true 'art', hm!"

"Is that so…"Deidara was so confident in reasoning I didn't try to argue. There is no reasoning with idiots.

"You disagree with me don't you, hm?"

"Yes…well no. Maybe 'disagree' is the wrong word to use. I just have a different perspective on it."

"Hm…can't argue with pure genius can you Clary?"

I jabbed an elbow back at him, hoping to hear a squeal of pain from him. Deidara just laughed and hugged me closer (just to annoy me I suspect).

"What's your favorite color then?"

"Blue, hm!"

"Why blue? Why not red or orange; those are the colors of an explosion?"

"Do you have to snap back to every answer I give, hm? If you don't like my answers then don't ask questions."

"There is nothing better to do."

"We could be thinking of how to escape, hm."

"True, true. But…."

"It's too cold or something, am I right, hm?"

"Exactly."

"Then what do we suppose that we do, hm?"

Deidara was certainly using the word 'we' an awful lot. I was hoping that he wouldn't get attached to me or anything- I don't like hurting people's feelings. I never have liked pain; on the causing or the receiving end. I'm way to nice; I cringe when I hit people and inwardly cry when I cause misery. That nicer side of my personality was being written out though; it just couldn't deal with physically being in pain. So to cope (whether I like to admit it or not) I had been creating sort of a sadist, fuck you-fuck this attitude toward everything. The 'normal' me had been shoved in a dark corner of my mind and generally forgotten about.

While musing about my recent mental changes I caught movement from the corner of my eye- Mr. Froggy was on the move. The clay 'art' slinked away from me and over to Deidara's shoulder.

"Why did you use animals for your 'art'?"

"Promise you won't try to argue?" Deidara asked warily

"I promise."

"Animals are something to aspire towards, hm."

"You aspire to be a dung beetle?" I wasn't trying to be mean and cynical I was purely curious.

"Hey you promised, hm!"

"I'm just asking! I don't get your point."

"I could create random shapes, but artists have to be driven towards something. So I try to make the animals life-like, hm. Why? What did you think I was trying to say?"

"Oh, I thought you were trying to be like the animals or something to that effect. Worship them maybe."

Deidara laughed at me- at least someone still was in good spirits. As far as I was concerned he could laugh all he wanted- in the end I'd be the one laughing at Akatsuki.

Maybe my friends would believe that I really was able to escape Akatsuki's grasp and then we could all laugh together. Having friends is nice.

"Does the water from the sink ever get warm, hm?"

"Dunno; I have never run it long enough to really find out."

Silence held the room. Breathing, usually considered a soft almost soundless noise, seemed loud, disruptive, and unnatural. I fidgeted underneath the blanket trying to keep my wandering mind from even briefly thinking about the temperature or the fact that I was so hungry I could eat an elephant. It had been _days _since I had last eaten. My stomach grumbled.

"Hungry Clary?"

"Evidently."

"I'll get you food once I get the door to open, hm."

"You still owe me a cake you know."

"Sorry you'll have to wait longer for that cake, hm."

"Yea, I highly doubted that Sasori was the type to stock up on cake mixes." I imagined Sasori trying to hide a pile of cake mixes in his closet. Who says only skeletons are allowed in there?

"I take it you really like cake, hm."

"Yea I sort of have a soft spot for cakes…well baked goods in general." Something popped into my mind.

My mind started to piece things together. "So if I-"

"Shh I'm thinking!" For me it is really hard to think and listen at the same time.

"Well I was trying to talk, hm!"

"Well I'm trying to have an epiphany! So shh!"

Deidara fell silent, but I imagined that he was pouting. Anyway back to my epiphany. My chain of thought can be rather sporadic, but it went something like this: _Closets are just like big boxes for stuff. This room is like a big box except for people instead of stuff. Sasori probably doesn't have 'stuff' though. He did have at least one room full of dead puppets in this cave complex. Well of course puppets are dead, are they all is wood with strings attached. So Sasori has lots of dead puppets neatly stuffed in boxes stored here. I wonder if this room use to be for storage. He could even put puppets on the slanted walls. Wait no it had a bathroom so it wasn't storage. Hey, those walls! They could still hold objects out of sight when people walk through the doors beneath them. I could set up a trap there. Or…maybe Sasori already has. _Well most of that was my mind rambling on, but other than that it was an epiphany. This was…perfect. If Deidara disabled the trap we could get out of here right now! I wouldn't even have to reveal my trump card the key!

"You done epiphanizing yet, hm?"

"Yea! Hey you see that wall?"

"No."

"The one with the door that's locked?"

"Ok, yea. What about it, hm?"

"Above the door the wall slants. Sasori placed his trap there!"

"How do you know its there, hm?"

"Where else could you hide a mechanism that activates if you forcefully move the door!"

"Are you sure, hm? I'm not going to look if you're not positive."

"Absolutely!" I was even willing to bet my life on it- which depending on how Deidara took this might be true. If it wasn't there and he had gone out of the cocoon of warm air for nothing he might get mad at me.

"Fine, fine I'll go check, hm."

Deidara stood up, taking the blanket with him. I'd have frozen instantaneously if I hadn't been wearing the Akatsuki cloak at the time. Haha- and Deidara had intended it to be a detriment! Well unless he had made me wear it out of concern for my safety rather than as a restraint on me for his safety…

"Hey Clary!" I looked up toward where Deidara's voice was coming from. There was a sudden flurry of movement and I blinked to see Deidara standing in front of me. I inwardly cringed as I remembered that eventually I was going to have to try to run from that type of unholy speed. "There is a trap up there, hm!"

"Did you think I was lying?"

"You might have been playing a prank on me, hm."

So he still didn't trust me. That was a false statement; he did actually get up and look so he trusted me to an extent. I had at least made some progress!

"So can you disarm it or what ever it is you ninja do?"

"Oh right….in theory yes, hm" He answered nodding.

"In theory as in you technically can't disarm it?"

"I need a kunai, hm. To cut the wires." I raised an eye brow. Kunai are basic weaponry, why would he not be carrying at least one? Deidara sighed mistaking my facial expression. "Kunai is a shinobi tool. I need a sharp edge, hm."

"Oh." I played along with being ignorant. It's too my advantage if they don't know that I have been trained.

Cutting edges…I had my knife; I wasn't going to be using it for this though. Could he bite through the wires? No. I sighed and admitted to myself the only option left- the mirror.

"I have a piece of glass would that work?"

"It should. I'm not going to bother asking you why you had glass…Where is it, hm?"

"Its over in that corner somewhere." I said as I pointed to my favorite corner, "Careful that you don't step on it."

"Right, hm."

I tried to follow Deidara's movements. I was half surprised to find that he actually was a shinobi despite his attitude. He easily found the shard of the mirror – a task that might have taken me half an hour- and went to work cutting wires. My hopes rose each time I heard the wires twang as the tension on one was released. I tried to imagine what the trap was designed to do once activate. I was so intently imagining I almost didn't hear the voice. Deidara didn't miss it; his vague silhouette froze in place.

"What is it? Did som-" Deidara's hand clamped down on my mouth. I tried to squirm away- he had _mouths _on his hands after all.

"DEIDARA?" A gruff voice yelled from the 'lobby'.

I should have known better to get my hopes up high-each time I do they are crushed again. I almost snarled with rage, just when things were going according to plan, Sasori just had to go and come back home on me!

A/N: I hope that didn't sound too off the mark. I had trouble writing this one –I kept trying to skip ahead- thus it took me a long time. As always please give me some feed back! And I have to thank all my reviewers for getting me to –nearly- **100 reviews**! I'm so happy! Anyways forgive for me for taking so long with this one and any errors I might have made. I hope you enjoyed it! -Lots of love

_Terrier_


	13. Chapter 13

I seriously must have committed a lot of brutal murders in some past life to wind up with the luck that I have. If there's a black cat near by it will find me, mirrors crack in my presence and any four leaf clover were wilt if I were to pass by. Just when I was going to get out of this god forsaken hellhole, my bad luck had summoned Sasori back. It is officially my second least favorite place in this world. The first is reserved just incase I fall into a worse hellhole.

"DEIDARA?" Sasori's voice sounded from outside. Light crept from under the doorway.

Glaring intently at the door, hoping to burn a hole through it, I waited with Deidara to see what Sasori would do. I had an idea of what would happen- I didn't like it very much though. After failing to find Deidara he would storm in here to check on my status, only to find both me and Deidara in here. Damn, where'd my other options go? I started to do what I do best: scheme.

I came up with several different options:

Situation A- Sasori finds us as we are.

Situation B-Deidara hides and I face Sasori's wrath alone.

Situation C-Deidara finishes disassembling the trap and escapes.

Situation D- I use my key and both Akatsuki members turn on me.

Situation E- By means of a surprise attack, I kill Sasori and make a run for it before Deidara can react.

Option 'D' was out almost as soon as I though of it; I worked too hard for that key-and besides it's too hard to easily reach in time. I refuse to let Deidara run away so there goes 'B'. Scenario 'A' was doable and livable, but not preferable. That leaves me with 'C' and 'E. The only reason I conjured up 'E' was so there was a version where Sasori takes the fall and Deidara is mad at me. After a moment of wistful thinking I tossed that one out too. Situation C it is.

Deidara's hand was still firmly clamped on my mouth to keep me quiet. I leaned back so I could be heard properly. "Quickly finish with the trap and then scram!"

Deidara glanced at me; registering my words with a thoughtful look. He nodded. "Not a word."

I took it that he meant don't talk now and about this later. I nodded back to him. His shadow flickered away from my side; I slouched down on the freezing floor, each of my breaths creating a little frost cloud in the air. There were several flaws to my plan. So if Deidara succeeds in disarming the trap how is he going to silently bust open the door? And I was still dressed up in his cloak. I classified these snags as 'details' and promptly dealt with them like I always do- I ignored them.

Unlike me Deidara actually made it passed the Chunin exams and so had a better plan-he had a step two. After finishing with the trap he landed gracefully in front of the door. Sasori's calling had faded away leaving it clear for Deidara to proceed with his plan. I watched Deidara's arms rise and fall as he preformed a seal. He mumbled its name under his breath and slammed a hand into the door. The wooden door quivered, a clicking sound came from within the wood. The door was unlocked.

Deidara sighed with relief and turned the handle. Blinding light flooded the room as the door swung open. Momentarily Deidara turned and grinned at me as he stepped out of the icebox. I sat there, dazed by the light. I couldn't decide if that smile was supposed to have been apologetic, reassuring or what. Deidara silently closed the door behind himself. I was left again in the inky darkness. I listened and heard the other key locking the door and being removed from the lock.

Maybe I should have stayed put. Maybe I should have gone with another Situation. Or maybe I should stop running; success is a journey, not a destination after all. Of course I didn't do any of the above. Walking over to the door I yanked on the cloak, the top few buttons came undone. I fished my key out from under my layers of clothing.

In the dim light I fingered the key and placed it in the keyhole. No sounds seeped into my room so I proceeded in my ill-thought-out plan. Hell none of this was being thought at all; I was winging it. I turned the key hesitantly, it clicked unlocked. Still no sounds. No other hiding spots came to mind, so I replaced the key next to the small knife.

I opened the door only enough to let myself squeeze out. My pupils constricted to tiny dots in my eye as I emerged into the light. I closed the door behind me and then turned back to view the area. The lobby looked as cozy as ever, I was half expecting Goldilocks to prance in and test out the four different couches that were arranged in a loose square. Also the lobby was _warm_; I could feel my extremities start to thaw out. Only thing left was food.

I was creeping to the kitchen when I heard voices nearby. I listened to the Akatsuki's conversation: Deidara was apologizing. They were in a room I had yet to explore. Confident that they would stay put for a few minutes I slinked as stealthily as I could, onward in to the kitchen.

It was as poorly stocked as ever, but for me it was more than I could have hoped for. I was starving-literally. The limited choice of food didn't bother me; I have always liked bread and meat. I ripped off a chunk from the loaf and savagely tore into the strips of meat I found. I didn't really want to think about what type of meat I was chewing on- I was praying it wasn't a rabbit or something.

After nearly choking on the loaf of bread I slowed down a bit and became thirsty. I hunted around a bit and found a can of what I thought juice. I quickly chugged it down.

With my hunger appeased, and my mind functioning more like a human again instead of a beast, I left the kitchen for my room.

Once I reached the couches I paused to wonder if I should visit the study again. I was mid way through my mental debate when I hear voices approaching. Instinctively I dove behind a couch, safely out of view.

"Do you still need more summoning scrolls, hm?" Deidara at least was still ok- I guess he can count as an ally.

"No, I already got them." The second voice was obviously Sasori's.

With my back to the couch I hugged my knees to my chest. I with the help of a heavy sleeve I muffled my panicked breathing. I front of me was the door to, what I assumed was, Deidara's room. Several doors to my left was my room. Not that I was going to be able to go inside unnoticed. I would have to wait until at least Sasori left until I made a mad dash for my room.

Someone fell, with an exhausted sigh, into the couch to my right. My eyes widened in fear, they could see me from where they were seated! I took a deep breath and then ever so cautiously scooted to the far end of the couch, dragging the trailing ends of the cloak with me. This was going to be difficult; avoid being detected while maneuvering around in an outfit several sizes to big, and I was willing to bet that they weren't women's sizes.

I tuned back in to their conversation. "So Itachi and Kisame failed to get their Jinchuriki…which one was it, hm?" I was now intently listening.

"The Nine-tails."

It was settled then. They were doing something with the tailed beasts. Anything dealing with humongous monsters is classified as B-A-D. Bullshit Amassing Doom.

"No, which persons Jinchuriki is it, hm?"

"Itachi's."

If I recalled correctly the Nine-tails has the most tails and it goes down to only the One-tail. And from their conversation I can assume that each member is assigned to one monster, so there might be around nine members. A loud clatter of falling wood awoke me from my theorizing. Wooden clanking sounds and gear's being cranked nicely masked

"Well, I'm going to sleep now, hm."

My face froze in horror. If Deidara went to his room he'd see me! I guess I was considering him an ally just because….well…Fine- liked him. But I wasn't too sure about his thoughts on me. There were little things which hinted that he liked me, and loud gestures that he didn't, say the swollen eye on my face. Confusing and on my list of things to be examined at another time, right now I needed to move.

Analyzing the situation in an instant I concluded that this wasn't going to work. Lots of things don't work- like my sense reason- and so I'd at least attempt to escape their notice. I shifted into a crouch position, my fingers curled around the edge of the sleeves to keep my hands available for use. Judging by the continuing clicking, clanking and rattling sounds Sasori was doing something at the table in the middle of the couches. I was counting on the fact that he was either turned the wrong direction or not paying attention.

Just as Deidara walked out from among the couches I -most ungracefully- rolled/ franticly crawled to the shelter of the next couch. Safe, no one noticed, or didn't care. I kept assuming Sasori was some mean ogre like person. From his attitude I could back that statement up, and Deidara didn't really like him. I wasn't going to plan on him being all nice and actually having a pile of cake mixes in his closet. I was now facing the wall between my door and the study. I needed to get in one of them. My room was locked; no way could I sneak in there. Study it was.

Deidara had shut the door to his room leaving me with Sasori, who was still making lots of noise with what ever he was operating with. Gathering the excess cloth that I was trampling on in my right arm, I slinked towards the study. No, not slinked that's to smooth of a motion, I kind of hopped crawled to the door; my left arm supporting my weight while I brought my legs up to land in crouched position, than extended my left hand forward again.

Eventually I got to the door undetected. Sasori's hunched figure was away from me, so I stood up without fear of being seen. I dropping the folds of fabric to the floor, I quietly turned the knob. In a catlike maneuver I opened the door, and got inside, and closed it once again.

The small room had no light. No problem for me; I think my eyes were evolving into an owl's. I felt safe and secure inside the stuffy compartment. No could uncover me here just by randomly looking over to see a black and red lump slithering across the floor. That would have been embarrassing. I breathed in heavily, with out fear of someone hearing. Sasori was still messing with whatever it was. Deidara was going to sleep. Both of them believed I was still locked in my cell- Sasori probably thought I was still a blob. I was free to do whatever I pleased- to an extant.

I chose to continue studying that binder, it was still flipped open to the pages on Sunagakure. For several moments I stared at the page it was open too, I had no reason to try to collect information anymore. How could it not be suspicious for me to come back when I was supposed to have died? I played with the corner of the page while I debated. There was no reason to further research except to soothe my own curiosity. If I didn't look I would be bothered by it for the rest of my life. Choosing to read more I marked the page and then randomly chose a page further back in the binder.

Thought I could see most things in this type of darkness I couldn't read the wild scrawl on the page. Even in good lighting it would have been difficult, the hand written note looked like scribble lines drawn across the page. I had been trying to decipher the message for some time when I noticed there was no longer clanking sounds from outside.

The cavern was totally silent; I listened to see if I could locate Sasori. And when I did I started to panic. I could hear a key being placed in a lock and turned- Sasori was going into my room!

Blood filled with adrenaline rushed around my body. Flipping back the binder to its original page I heard Sasori call my name out when he didn't see me huddled in a corner. I heard him curse and yell for Deidara. My mind went into over drive, once they didn't see me they go hunting for me. The last two times Deidara found me in here looking at the keys, sort of a tradition isn't it? I decided I didn't want to go for a third time.

I waited until I was sure Deidara had gone into my cell and was talking with an angry Sasori before I darted out of the study. On the coffee table I saw a large wooden figure half dissected by Sasori. I could see my door wide open with both Sasori and Deidara standing in there; Sasori was more at a loss then Deidara. I started off to head toward the hallway with other rooms; plenty of hiding spots in there.

I wasn't paying attention to the cloak though. Until that moment when I ever I moved I was aware of the heavy fabric weighing me down, but in my panic state I just started to run instead of picking up the hem. My sandal got caught on the material that was trailing behind me like a wedding gown. When I tried to step forward with that foot I tripped forward, sending myself hurtling into the ground with an 'oof'.

"Hm?"

"Now what Deidara?"

"I thought I heard something."

I scrambled up and away before either one of them could turn and see me sprawled on the cave flooring. I heard someone walking toward me. I had turned the corner into the hall way, but paused trying to pick a door to enter. Doesn't matter I decided as the footsteps drew nearer. I tugged on the door but I wouldn't budge- locked! I threw myself at the next door, this one burst open when I agitatedly yanked on the handle. I fell inside and quickly, yet quietly, shut the door behind me.

Leaning on the door I tried to calm my spastic heart beat. If I have a guardian angle it sure is a sadistic one; watching me freak out, only saving me at the very last second. I muffled my panting as the foot steps went past the room I was hiding in. I surveyed my surroundings; it was a room I had visited before. Sasori stored his puppets in here. Seeing one of the puppets lying in the open, staring at me with hollow eyes was disturbing to me. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and I had a sinking feeling in my stomach.

I didn't want to have to hide here any longer than necessary.

As soon as the foot steps faded away I left the room. I stood in the hall way aimlessly. I didn't know where either of the two Akatsuki's had gone. I was vulnerable just standing out here. A shadow creeping on the fringes of my vision caught my attention. Every cell in my body was filled with dread. My mouth was parched, my head was spun. I tried to convince myself I was just scaring myself and I hadn't seen anything. I swallowed and turned around to see what –or who- was behind me.

The shadow cast on the wall took a clear form as I spun around. It was the form of a frog. Deidara's clay bomb sat in the middle of the hall way looking at me with blank eyes. I ground me teeth together. The lighting had enlarged Mr. Froggies's shadow, effectively scaring me. My hand moved to me chest as I smiled with relief and sighed heavily. I bent down and extended a hand for it to hop on to.

After hesitating the little amphibian leaped onto my out stretched hand. It stared at me just like the puppets had. I frowned. It stared. In a moment of annoyance I gleefully –almost too gleefully- crushed Mr. Froggy into dust. I opened my hand and let the crumbs fall out- my first murder.

Sighing I walked down the hall wall, admiring the details carved into the walls. Someone had put a lot of effort into this place. Again, I wasn't paying attention to my clothing. My foot treaded on cloth and I slipped forward. I shut my eyes and threw out my arms instinctively. I waited to crash into the ground again. After I didn't, I noticed I was suspended above the unforgiving ground by a strong arm, which was now hauling me upright again. Confused I blinked.

An all too familiar voice cleared the confusion up for me. "I was coming to see what destroyed my art only to find you tripping over my cloak again, hm!"

"Err…thanks?" I wasn't sure how to respond.

Deidara smirked at me and was opening his mouth to snidely reply when someone beat him too it. "Deidara, you found the prisoner yet?"

I bristled at the word 'prisoner'; I didn't like the sound of it at all. I pouted for a moment, aware that Deidara had a firm grip on my left shoulder. I twirled around and tried to run off. Deidara caught me by my hand before I went a step. He didn't stop me though; I just lugged him along behind me as I dashed for the kitchen.

Once I was safe for the moment I released my grip on Deidara's hand. Only thing is, he didn't.

"You can let go anytime now…" I commented in a hushed tone.

"I know, hm." I gave him my very best death glare. I tugged on my hand, trying to get it back.

"Why'd you leave you cell again, hm?"

"I was freezing! Even with all my layers of clothing!" I answered harshly still trying to get him to let go of my hand. He didn't seem to notice.

"How do you keep escaping, hm?"

Deidara wasn't trying to keep his voice down so didn't either. "You should try locking the door!"

He scowled at me. "I DID lock the door that, hm! I made sure I did!"

"The lock gnomes came and unlocked it then. Ok? Now let go of my hand!" He brought his hand up from his side dragging mine along with it, flaunting it in my face. "I'll bite you!"

He snorted at my warning, smirking. I lunged forward at clamped my jaw down on his arm. I bite hard enough that my jaw was endangering of fracturing. Deidara let out a half suppressed yelp. It didn't work though, he still held my hand. After several seconds, I let go. He continued to smirk at me. Grrr. And, just to annoy me further, he _licked _my hand using the mouth on his palm.

"EWW! THAT'S DISGUTING!" I shrieked. If Sasori hadn't heard us so for he certainly would hear that.

Deidara laughed at me then smiled ruefully. He let go of my hand. I snatched it back. I glared at him, opting for him to drop dead. I hadn't bothered to close the door when I entered the kitchen; Sasori cast an ominous shadow over me. I wiped my hand on the cloak and turned to face him formulating a plan.

"He _licked_ me!" I told Sasori, pointing accusingly at Deidara. Sasori raised an eyebrow, Deidara's smile faded to an irritated grimace. I shot him a dark smile; Sasori looked utterly un-amused and bored.

"Stop goofing around Deidara," Sasori sinisterly warned, "Zetsu will be getting here any minute now."

My facial expression turned quizzical. Confused I innocently asked. "What's a Zetsu?"

A/N: Personally I liked this chapter a lot! I was just really inspired to write this time and I got done really fast. I have to apologize for the last chapter; it was horribly written. Eventually I'll go back and edit it a bit. Anyways, as always I hope you thoroughly enjoyed this chapter! Review for me- I still love getting feed back from you guys!

A very happy, _Terrier_


	14. Chapter 14

Curiosity killed the cat; so if it can kill a cat it could probably kill a human too. That includes me- hell that is almost specific to me. Death by curiosity; if I die by that I hope I at least learned the answer to my question first. If I was lucky Sasori or more likely Deidara would answer my question. But since I have no luck with this type of thing my question was left unanswered. Oh and it left my imagination free to dream up all sorts of contorted delusions of what a 'Zetsu' was. It's fun to be delinquent.

Eventually the reasonable side of my mind kicked in and I seriously started to try to answer my question. The way Sasori had said it made me think it was a capitol 'Z' instead of lowercase 'z'. So a Zetsu is a proper noun. It couldn't be a place because you wouldn't say a location arrives soon. So a Zetsu is an important person or object.

While I was brainstorming I had tuned out what Sasori and Deidara were conversing about. What a good little prisoner I was being…wait that's bad, counterproductive to all my efforts. I snapped back to reality.

Immediately I became keenly aware of Deidara gripping my _left_ arm, he never held onto the right arm which was in the process of healing. My heart fluttered; he liked me! Then a negative part of me chimed in that I would squeal and be a lot harder to control if he restrained me by me right shoulder. I really loath that reasonable voice sometimes.

I was inwardly pouting at myself and I missed Deidara's next words, but I didn't miss his actions. He nudged me forward. Time to put up a fight; I dug my heels into the ground. I _would not_ voluntarily move from this spot. Deidara tried to push me forward to no avail.

Sasori glanced over and sighed. "Just get her there soon; I despise having to wait." He left Deidara to deal with me. Good! I can deal with Deidara easily- just not Sasori, he's different. I don't like him.

Puzzling over where 'there' could be I almost lost my footing. Deidara shoved me forward with both hands on my back; I leant backwards with as much weight as I could without falling backwards. A moment passed, I slid forward an inch, damn… and most girls are delighted to be light weight.

Deidara grunted with effort as he tried –hopefully in vain- to move me out of the kitchen. I gritted my teeth and pushed back. For at least a minute an awkward silence fell over us as we tried to overpower the other.

Without thinking of the consequences I became dead weight on Deidara's hands. He struggled to support my full weight on his wrists for a moment and then lost. Well he more of backed out than lost. Deidara let go of me and jumped out of the way. I was the one who really lost, I fell backwards.

A primitive force took hold of my body. My hands flew to the back of my skull; I started to curl up in a fetal position, all in preparation for collision with the stone floor. Again my efforts were futile; Deidara hadn't dropped me for me to fall, but instead Deidara had made me loose my rigid stance. I was now moveable- I lost…again. For the second time in less then ten minutes, maybe even five, Deidara saved me from a concussion or other serious brain damage.

His arms caught me in midair. I blinked still expecting to receive trauma to the head in a few more milliseconds. "Come on now Clary, hm." Deidara was about to lift me up to transport me away when I snapped out of it. I rolled out of his arms. Sinuously landing on my feet I bolted out of the door.

I whizzed down the hallway with Deidara in pursuit. Outrunning him wasn't my plan or even one of my deluded fantasies- let alone an option. My goal was to waste as much time as possible until some better plan of action could be decided upon.

Sprinting down the passageway I did trip over the cloak a few more times. When I did I scampered to my feet and I would bound away again. The door to the outside loomed ahead of me as I sprinted towards it. If I got there and it was unlocked, then what? I'd be on a mountain in the middle of nowhere.

Veering left, I had to catch a door's handle to stop myself from falling. I stole a quick glance at Deidara, I thought he would be skidding to a halt in surprise; he had his sardonic smirk on again and was further back than I expected. Flustered and unnerved I decided to barricade myself into this room. I yanked open the door and threw myself inside. After a quick survey of my new surroundings I had to re-analyze my situation. I hadn't gone into a new room at all; I had entered another corridor.

I had always felt rather uneasy about being in the realm of the underground. I will always be a person of the open skies. I'm in love with the wind blowing my hair about. I could happily spend my life basking in the warmth of the suns rays. Humans were designed to live above the ground, listening to the birds chirp excitedly. Down there, beneath the surface where I'm just an unwelcome guest, there is none of that.

The air there will never be churned by the wind, it lays motionless for centuries collecting the musty smells of the earth. It will only ever be stirred by the motion of an invading alien. The only thing that wards off total darkness from enveloping you is man-made lights that cast an eerie, flickering shadow on the walls carved from stone.

Also sound there is different; it's morphed and takes on new qualities. The everyday sounds of my breathing or my clothes rustling, soft subdued noises, ring out clear and loud, echoing through ancient caverns. I did not belong there; standing in the entrance of an artery that twists and winds to the heart of a mountain.

I remained frozen in the door way- mesmerized by my sudden fear of this place. I couldn't shake off the profound feeling that I shouldn't be here. I felt the door knob turning under my hand; it took me a second to register that Deidara was about to appear right next to me. I stumbled out of the way as the door opened. Deidara

"Are you ok, hm?" He asked with concern in his voice. "You look like you saw a ghost, Clary!"

I managed a weak nod in reply.

Thankfully Deidara seemed to realize that I was no longer going to be difficult and that I was rather…err… scared. He didn't seem phased by the atmosphere of this corridor as he escorted me down it. I didn't try to make a fuss at all, just the opposite I clung to Deidara arm as we walked through less lit areas. I was waiting for a horrific monster to emerge from the darkness and ambush us. Every time I thought I saw movement from the fringes of my vision my heart beat went erratic. Deidara was worriedly looking at me wondering if I had completely become a lunatic.

It took forever, but we safely reached our destination without being mauled by the hideous monstrosities living beneath our unsuspecting feet. I was deliberating new plans as Deidara opened a plain wooden door and mockingly bowed. I sniffed and held my head up high as I enter the brightly lit room.

I surmised that because the lights in here were so much better than the ones in side that this room was more important the others. The room had two exits I noted. In the center was a table with a few chairs messily surrounding it. Long padded stretched around the perimeter and much too my amusement there was a pintsized tree in a generic. I couldn't help but smile; it was someone's job to care for plants in this Akatsuki safe houses.

"This isn't time to be smirking." I recognized Sasori's grim voice; I twirled around to see him and another…person?

It was a human sheltering inside a….a giant plant. This person definitely took the cake for being the freakiest person I've met to date. Not only was it….he… living in what looked to be the trap of a venus flytrap, one half of his exposed body was black and the other a bleachy white. I couldn't help but to stare. His green hair was odd, but not totally unheard of. Two years ago I tried to dye my hair neon green, it turned my brunette locks a black color that appeared greenish in light for two weeks- I didn't leave my house for the duration of those weeks. Using my logic reasoning I concluded that this was a 'Zetsu'. He was also robed in the Akatsuki uniform; I became rather uncomfortable about being in Deidara's heavy coat.

I watched the three Akatsuki members move about the room; all three were strikingly different from each other. Deidara casually moved and slouched down on a bench seat. Sasori continued to look at me with an utterly bored with life expression and didn't move an inch. Zetsu took a seat at the table. I glared at them all suspiciously.

"You can sit at the table you know, hm."

"I'll stand." I can live with having ache feet better then sitting with these guys. I'll be willing to bet that they never had many friends growing up.

"I'll get started then. You," Sasori gestured to me, "just answer the questions. Your name is Clary Rusher correct?"

"Yep." He never said I had to answer truthfully.

"And you are from Sunagakure?"

"Yeah." The Zetsu thing was looking at me. It was scaring me until my irrational side kicked in. That side demanded that I remember that I was above these…these criminals!

I tossed my hair out of face and held my head high.

"What do you do for a living?"

"Sell stuff."

I expected them to ask what, but apparently Akatsuki doesn't care if I'm selling teddy bears or explosives. "Is anyone in your family a shinobi?"

My elder brother was, but I decided that Akatsuki didn't need to know that. "Do stuffed animals count or my uncle's second cousins kid count?" I had no idea if that person even existed; it wasn't a definite 'no' so it was a possibility that I really had an uncle's second cousins kid.

Believing that Sasori would continue interrogating me I started to create a life story for 'Clary'. Of course the one of the few times I plan ahead the planning was unneeded. I should never plan in the first place; it makes life more interesting. Also interestingly the Akatsuki members were having different reactions. Deidara looked upset, Sasori seemed as happy as he ever would be, and the plant seemed disappointed. Talk about double… err triple standards. While I was trying to guess what made them act that way, from a silent signal all three of them left out the other door leaving me alone.

The walls weren't much fun to look at and there were no freaks to stare at so I decided to risk being caught and listen in on their little talk. I had a good idea of their plans by now, but more information is always nice. Unless it raises new question; then that just plain annoying. Pressing my ear to the door I eavesdropped on their private conversation.

"No, we can't do that, hm." Deidara contradicted someone else.

Sasori spoke next, "So this was a waste of time?"

Zetsu spoke next, "Not entirely; we now know what to look for in future candidates." I started to catch the jest of their talk. Someone had failed to meet the standards, but had shown what future people would need. Maybe someone had failed to become an Akatsuki! How did you go about joining Akatsuki anyway?

"It was a preliminary trial."

"What was wrong, hm?"

"She had too much chakra buildup." I didn't realize girls were allowed in Akatsuki! Hey, maybe I could apply. For a wistful moment I pictured myself in full Akatsuki getup.

"Hm, how'd that happen? She's a civilian, we know that for sure." Civilian? Chakra buildup? It started to sink in that they might be talking about _me_.

"I am not sure how, but it's clear that Clary isn't suitable for the experiment." Zetsu answered, clearing up any doubts about this conversation. "Actually the entire experiment is a flop, because-" I tuned Zetsu's babble to process what was happening.

I was some sort of human guinea pig that had too much chakra for their sinister experiment- good I'm foiling their plans! Chakra exists in all people, but is much more evident in people that have are shinobi and almost invisible in an innocent civilian. What they didn't know is that I wasn't your average bystander; I at one point had aspired to be a shinobi. Thus my chakra was more defined then a normal person's, but not as fully developed as a ninja's should be. Instead my chakra was frozen in the transitory stage-what luck.

"What happens to Clary now, hm?" I suddenly became aware that my status had changed. Before I was needed alive and healthy, now I could be discarded without a second thought. Shit!

"She has no further use to us- we kill her." My heart nearly stopped; even though this conclusion had been looming overhead for a long time, I had been hoping and praying that it wouldn't happen- that I _would_ have a happily ever after. But now it was clear and defined; _I was going to __**die**_.

"Kakuzu needs an arm; we can take one of her arms." A jolt went through my body- I was going to be used as spare parts! Don't get me wrong; I'm all for organ donations and I wouldn't mind giving a heart or liver once I've died naturally but….the thought of these guys dismembering my body was just…sickening…

Unfortunately they weren't done yet, "And I'll have anything remaining; I haven't eaten in awhile." The churning in my stomach lurched upward; I tasted the fiery, acidic liquid of my esophagus in my mouth.

I clamped a firm hand over my mouth to keep myself from throwing up my last meal. Not only was I going to be dismembered I was going to be _eaten_! The plant…_thing_… was a _cannibal_.

"Hey, hey don't be gross Zetsu, hm!" I nearly smiled when Deidara spoke; he was standing up for me! Sort of…

"You haven't grown attached to her have you Deidara?" Sasori grumbled accusingly.

"No, hm" My heart plummeted.

Not wanting to hear anymore I weakly wandered away from the door and managed to seat myself in chair before I collapsed. I felt as if I had just finished running a marathon; my legs were weak to support me, my heart was beating unhealthily fast.

Behind me the door creaked open. I reacted like I had been electrocuted; I leaped out of my chair spinning around to face who ever were entering the room. Deidara looked at me with a bewildered expression as he closed the door behind him. I clutched my heart, trying to see if it would slow down. As he took a seat Deidara had a grim look in his eyes. I fell back down into my chair. I rubbed my temples with my thumbs, keeping my eyes closed. I took a deep breath then let it out. Relax, relax…

"This isn't the best time to take a nap, hm."

"I'm not sleeping… or even trying to." I said; impressing myself with how calm and collected I sounded.

"Then what _are_ you trying to do, hm?" Deidara asked.

"Wake up."

"What?" He asked again- I had managed to confuse yet another person.

"I'm trying to wake up," Not that I expected him to understand from my scanty statement. "So I can find myself safe in my bed." Even if it is now at an asylum.

"So you're trying to believe this is a nightmare then, hm?"

"Something like that."

Deidara paused and considered what I had said, not getting the hints that I wasn't in the mood to talk. "Most people would consider it lucky to have an adventure, hm."

I raised an eye brow. He thinks I should consider myself _lucky_ of all things! "Obviously the people who say that are the ones that are bored with their lives." The corners of my mouth twitched; I supposed that Deidara fit into that category of people.

"Are you accusing me of something, hm?"

"Not necessarily."

"Come to think about it your one of the luckiest people I know, hm!" He said cheerfully. Oh yes, I'm going to be cut up into spare body parts and become plant feed; how _lucky _of me. It didn't occur to me that he was trying to be kind and reassuring. 

"You must not know a lot of people then. Or you are interpreting what 'luck' is differently than I am."

"I won't get you started on interpretations, but I have met many more people than you have! You're one of those people who always come out ahead, hm."

I was about to argue further, but Deidara cut in. "Can't you just graciously take a compliment, hm?"

"Not if I don't consider it a compliment." I unfolded my legs and stood up, my mood was reaching rock bottom.

"Hm?"

"Luck won't last a life time unless you die young." I mumbled darkly as I left the room.

I wasn't too sure what I was doing; I just needed time to think by myself. Once I emerged into the corridor fear crept back into the corners of my mind. I was probably just freaking myself out with my overactive imagination; I guess I was expecting a demon to emerge from the shadows. I pressed my back against the cool stone wall so nothing could creep up on me from behind. I'm so paranoid.

Fear isn't an emotion that I like; some people may enjoy getting scared, and I'm not one of them. I was already depressed and now I was scared. Maybe I should have stayed inside the room and dealt with Deidara. No, I shouldn't push my problems on other people. Deidara had been being very kind, in his own way, and I snapped at him. I sank to my knees; now I felt guilty too.

I curled up, hugging my knees to my chest, and rocked back-and-forth. This was a rotten time to feel miserable about life. My overgrown bangs hid my eyes. I concentrated on trying to feel better, it was hard. Remembering happy times only made me feel more forlorn and it was uncomfortable to try to smile. I sat wallowing in despair.

Death was no longer a maybe- it was a certainty. Hopefully it would be a humane death; not some long torturous experience. Not likely, it was a cannibal and a person who didn't like me and had a sardonic reputation. Maybe I should commit suicide….just to be sure I had a quick death…

A steady arm wrapped around my shoulders. I didn't bother to look up; maybe Deidara had come to fetch me for execution. I saw through peripheral vision Deidara sitting along the wall next to me. I tried to smile but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. To my surprise he didn't try to break the silence with mindless chatter. Deidara just sat there in the gloom next to me, comforting and protecting me through a very dark hour in my life.

---A little while later ---

I blinked and woke up. Not waking up in the sense that I had been sleeping; I had finished thinking. Deidara's presence had stabilized my mind, stopping myself from panicking and considering outlandish things like suicide.

I had promised myself multiple times that I would go down fighting, and that I would return home to my friends. It's not my nature to ensure that I keep promises no matter what, but this was a time that I needed too. There was an agenda of things I planned to do in the next few years and death wasn't on the list.

I still had a good seventy years ahead of my let to live! I wanted to be an old lady one day and give cookies out to all the little children and to spend decades with the love of my life. I had a master scheme in life and the last thing on the list was to die an old lady- I adamantly refuse to be called an old lady at nineteen! _**Death is not an option! **_

Actually I had narrowed down the field of options to just one. Escape. Not just a minor run around the caves, but escape the underground altogether. I really loath being here; why couldn't they make a base in a tree instead of a cave? The Akatsuki Tree house- that would have made my stay with them much more enjoyable.

As I gave myself a mental pep rally Deidara was still calmly seated next to me. Too calmly. I waved a hand in front of his face- no reaction. I smiled lightly; he looked cute when he was asleep. Another wave of guilt washed over me, at some points he had been very nice too me. Carefully I slid out from under his arm. I tried to explain to myself that Deidara wasn't a good person- it didn't work very well. Sighing I admitted to myself that fine…I liked Deidara too much than was good for my health. Deidara stirred restlessly in his sleep, I froze. Unfortunately I froze facing him; the delinquent side of me bounced up and down, squealing.

I became torn between escaping and staying by Deidara for a little longer. Compromise was my solution. The lights continued to flicker casting their light in irregular patterns. To appease the lunatic in my mind I bent over and placed a quick kiss on Deidara's cheek before embarking on the most deranged self-assigned mission yet- escaping Akatsuki.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed it and that it made sense. Anyways please review for me; I'm pretty nervous about this chapter I didn't like the way it turned out, but I needed to get it off my shoulders. Thank you for all the lovely reviews I'm getting- I smile as I read and each and every one.

A nervous,

Terrier


	15. Chapter 15

People say that hope can get you through hard times. If there is any truth to that it is only partially correct. Hope won't feed you and hope won't bring your lover home- alive. And hoping won't save you from being the target of shuriken (if it misses you thank the forces of physics and their bad aim). So as I left the sleeping Deidara I didn't hope. There's no sense in giving myself the false belief in success; if I did fail I wouldn't want to be further depressed. But failure wasn't an option! Failing equaled death. And I wasn't going to die; not yet anyways.

I knew for certain what I was going to do. It wasn't my choices that would get me killed, because my choices could only be for keeping me alive. It is a lot easier to make quick decisions when you have only one goal in mind. What Akatsuki did was beyond my control. Once Akatsuki had noticed my disappearance and couldn't find me sneaking around their base they would most likely chase after me, catch me, and then execute me.

Or they could just look the other way and let me go on with my life; though it was highly unlikely, they wouldn't want any information leaking out.

In a larger sense nothing was really in my control. If these people _really_ wanted to, no matter where I ran or hid, they could find me. In battle I would need a whole pantheon of gods backing me up to come out victorious. What I needed was for Akatsuki to not care enough to put forth that much effort. If they had batter things to do then chase me around a mountain range they would.

My heart pumped adrenaline filled blood around my body as I thundered down the corridor. If there were any fiends lurking in the shadows I would just have to out run them. Deidara's cloak was trailing around me waiting to trip me up. I didn't let it though; I kept on running down the curving hallway waiting to see the end, and the door that could get me back to the original hallway I was aware of. The black and red coat would be useful later on though so I kept it. It could be used as a shelter from rain, or a shield against the cold.

I nearly cried out in relief when I saw the corridor's end. Gasping for breath I stumbled to a halt. I had been full out sprinting for nearly three minutes; I couldn't imagine what they needed so much space for in the first place. Pawing at the fasteners on the cloak I managed to free myself from the danger of tumbling headfirst into the ground every time I took a step. With no place to store the yards of material I bundled it up and hugged it to my chest as I pulled the door open.

The old hallway was more thoroughly lit and after a quick inspection I made sure it was clear. My original plan had been to leave straight away, but it would really suck to escape Akatsuki then starve to death. Quickly I raided their pantry grabbing a few cans of something and what was left of the loaf I had eaten earlier. The cloak proved useful already for I used to transport my stolen food in it. Smugly I dashed out of their poor kitchen and to the door to the outside world. The one that had blue skies and fresh air.

Predictably the door was locked. Sighing I realized that I was going to have to use force to leave this place. Tightly clutching my bundle I swung a foot at the door, right above the lock. The wood groaned under the force of a chakra ladened foot, but didn't burst open. I tried again; same result only I stubbed a toe in the process. I bit my lip, I could use a jutsu and bust myself outta here it would be rather…noticeable though.

True logic has always eluded me so…I went with using the jutsu. Placing my bundle on the ground I formed the basic hand sign with my hands. I felt my chakra flowing through my hands, empowering me. Determinedly I started the jutsu; rapidly performing a few more seals and then slamming my hand into the wooden door then leaping back to clear out of the way.

I watched the wood swell as if it was a balloon being filled with air and then as it…explode wouldn't be the right word. How should I say this; the wood couldn't handle the pressure and so cracked into thin sheets of wood which fell to the stone floor in a series of loud clanks. If anyone was nearby they would have heard that.

Briefly I paused to admire my handy work –amazed that I hadn't messed up causing a cataclysmic explosion that showered me with shards of wood. Scooping up my precious bundle of food I began to run. Not as fast as before, but still faster than the average jog.

The sun was shinning in full force today, I was sorely tempted to stop my frantic running and bathe in the warmth of the sun. Even running for my life I could enjoy being outdoors. The strong wind ruffled my hair sending my tangled locks into my eyes. And after being cooped up in a damp cave for weeks the fresh air cleared my mind. Even if I failed it was totally worth it to experience this. The view up here was simply amazing too! Sasori and Deidara had dragged me up a steep stone slope to the cave which had been in the side of a cliff.

I was headed toward the sea of lush green trees maybe a kilometer away from the cave's entrance. I could certainly hideout in the forest for at least a couple of weeks till I found a map or a road or another form of civilization. Where this mountain and forest was I had no idea.

The trick with long distance running is to have something to think about and not strain over the progress your making. Luckily I had plenty of things to be thinking about, but my thoughts kept wandering back to a certain blond, S-ranked murder. I couldn't make up my mind on what I should do about him; on one side the next time we meet he might try to kill me on the other hand I had developed a crush on Deidara. By that time I was sure he liked me, if just as friend. It was enough to give me chance of my number one priority; survival. If Deidara still liked me when he caught up to me, after days of hunting me through the wilderness, I might have a better chance of living through the encounter.

Once I had been running under the shade of the trees for several minutes I stopped for a hasty break. My chest was heaving up and down and my heart was still beating at a constant fast pace. When running it's a key factor to have a regular breathing pattern. Under the trees the air held the scent of wood and tree sap. Judging from the position of the sun it was mid-day maybe one or two o'clock- I was never good at judging time.

By then I had decided to find a stream for several reasons. First, the obvious, I needed a supply of fresh water. And secondly the stream would feed into a bigger river or a lake, those bodies of water might have attracted human settlement. I started off at a steady jog to search for a stream coming down from the mountains that loomed behind me.

----Several hours (and rest breaks) later----

With a twig I traced swirly designs in the dirt. I was comfortably situated under a grand old tree; whose thick cover of leaves protected me from the sun and being spotted from above. Also I was seated on Deidara's cloak which was folded into a square on the banks of a brook that was lazily flowing in what I determined as the direction South-Southwest. So far things were going swimmingly-too swimmingly for that matter. Something was bound to go wrong soon.

Trying to convince myself that I was just being paranoid I walked over to the waters edge. I saw a contorted reflection staring back at me. It showed a person who was deathly pale with a set of hair desperately in need to a brush and the dark rings under her eyes revealed that she hadn't been sleeping well. Disgustedly I plunged my hand in the icy water dispersing my reflection. I cupped my hands and sipped the cool water, closing my eyes lightly.

A slight whistle broke thought the silence of the woods. My head shot up with my eyes wide open. I squinted to see far above me an overly large bird circling above the forest. I scrambled back to the tree and my supplies. I had failed to open the cans I had stolen- even using my knife- and I had eaten the rest of the bread to quench my hunger. On an impulse I decided it would be easier to run without the heavy cans. It was awkward running with them and my right arm as sore again from the effort.

In double time I folded the cloak back up and using my hoodie- which I had taken off, due to overheating while running- to secure it to the small of my back. It really was hassle to carry it my arms. Checking the sky again I still saw the bird and its rider clearly against the blue sky. Had Deidara spotted me? I leaped up into the tree, almost missing my landing. But I didn't have time to worry about it- I was going to taking a crash course in flying between the trees in about one minute anyway. Shading my eyes with a hand I noted that Deidara had moved on. I was still safe and undetected, but for how much longer I couldn't say. They had caught up to me a lot faster that I wanted them too.

----Fast-forward twenty minutes or so----

I was moving at breakneck speed through the forest. That dammed bird was definitely following me now! It was kind of silly of me to waste effort on running; I was inevitably going to be caught up to –and soon. I debated if it would be wiser to hide or keep on running. Last time I had hide and Deidara had just bombed me out of hiding- and let me tell you being BBQ-ed isn't on my list of things to experience before I die. I would keep on running for now.

Glancing behind myself, to make sure I had only one pursuer, it looked clear enough. Ahead of me lay a blinding bright light; I knew what it was, a clearing. I landed on the next branch, planning to turn and go around the open area. The branch clearer must have been conspiring with Deidara for as soon as I landed on it with a heavy thud it fell away from underneath me.

My left hand instinctively tried to grasp on to something as I went careening ahead, carried by my momentum, all I grasped at was the air slipping away between my fingers.

My training kicked in over powering my animal instincts; I tucked my limbs away and curled into a ball. I flew out from under the canopy of the trees, unfurling as I came near the ground and touched down with my feet, careful not to dig my heels into the ground. I skidded several meters back before I came to a full and complete stop. If Deidara hadn't noticed that I had been moving through the forest like a shinobi that landing would definitely have alerted him to the fact that I had been trained.

Promptly I took in where I was -geography could mean life and death in battle. I hadn't fallen into a clearing, I had reached the edge. For the last few hours I had been traveling on a huge plateau and now I had reached the edge of it. Before me the trees stopped as if some had drawn a line and told them not to cross it. Behind me, at the bottom of the massive precipice, the trees started growing again and stretched across a wide valley where on the other side, in the hazy distance, mountains once again towered above everything.

With narrowed eyes I watched the bird bank steeply and descended toward the ground. I wasn't sure what I was planning on doing. The best option would have been to run for it but… the part of me that was infatuated with the enemy wanted to stay. And so I did.

It had been just a matter of time before Akatsuki caught up with me. And I had been fighting fate trying to stay alive for awhile now. I puffed my cheeks and then exhaled sharply. I would fight; even if it was pointless, maybe I can give Deidara a scar to remember me by.

The bird made flapped its wings franticly to maintain a hover as Deidara hopped off making a graceful landing several meters away from me. He straightened up with a smile on his face. Unimpressed, I scowled.

"Found you, hm!" He sounded like a child proudly sharing an accomplishment.

"I noticed."

"You don't have to be so cold, hm! You look much prettier when you're smiling."

"Err…thank you?" I replied changing my expression from mad to confused, with an eyebrow arched.

"Before we move on do you know what happened to my cloak I gave you, hm?" Deidara still had no shirt besides his kunai protecting vest letting me secretly ogle at his sculpted torso. Don't you dare think of as a pervert, I bet you would have been drooling at him!

"Yea, I do." I bluntly replied.

After a long pause, "Do you mind telling me where, hm? I really needed it back."

I sighed resignedly and tugged his folded cloak out from behind me. Then stopped realizing that I would have to go near him to give it back. Sneaky Deidara. I smiled smugly to myself before I got caught in the trap.

"Here." I tossed his heavy cloak with my good arm- my right arm had resumed hammering on my nerve ends much to my displeasure.

"Thanks, hm." He mumbled as he unfolded it and threaded one arm into a sleeve.

I took the opportunity to stuff myself back in my hoodie ASAP before it got in the way my while fighting. By the time I pulled my head through Deidara was already doing something. I pulled my only possession left out of my pants pocket- the knife. Deidara frowned momentarily when he saw its small blade glinting in the sunlight, but soon his signature smirk crept back onto his face.

"You do realize that a knife I a close combat weapon right, hm?"

"Yes."

"And that if you threw it at me you would have only one shot right, hm?"

"Yep."

He eyed with curiosity and then sighed. "You're going to put up as much of a fight as you can, hm."

I drew in a mock breath of shock and surprise. "How'd you guess?"

He snorted. "How'd you find out that we were going to kill you, hm?"

"Word gets around."

"If there were more people then just you I could believe that, but you were the only other person there, hm."

"The lock gnomes told me. They've taken a great liking to me."

"Ah, I suppose they also made are door fall to pieces for you too hm?"

"Oh darn, you guessed right again!"

"Can you answer a question truthfully for me, hm?"

"What? You think I've been lying?"

"Ok let me rephrase that for you, hm. Can you reply with out any sarcasm; because I'm sorry, but I don't believe in lock gnomes, hm?"

"Ok fine, fine. I can do one question- depending on what it is."

He grinned happily. My heart fluttered and for an instant I probably would have actually told him a truthful answer. "What's your real name, hm?"

"….Clary Rusher…"

"Oh common! You said one question right, hm?!"

"I said '_depending_ _on what it is' _"

He frowned for a moment and gave up on that question. "New question, same rules. Were you really a shinobi all along, hm?"

"Umm…" How should I word this. "At one point I was but, I retired awhile ago."

"Wait you're not even really nineteen?" He asked bewildered

"No, I'm nineteen."

"Then…oh," He caught on. "You dropped out, hm! Well let's head back now."

I stared at him blankly. He frowned when he noticed I wasn't moving. "Please, hm?"

"Sorry, but no. I'm quite happy being alive thank you very much!"

Deidara put a game smile…err smirk. "The hard way is just fine with me. You'll get to see my art up close, hm!" Oh, joy! Just what I wanted an encore performance.

I returned the expression, but said nothing. Deidara made the first move; he opened his closed fist to reveal three miniature birds with two sets of wings. He performed a hand sign and the birds grew to a normal size. I gulped. Two birds went to the left and one to the right. Not sure of how to deal with these other than dodge them, I got ready to dive away from them.

The bird going right fluttered its wings and stopped midway to me. In that second a bird going left reached me. I skillfully flipped backwards and away from harm, just as the bird exploded.

_**Boom**_

One down, two to go. The bird that stalled darted in toward my feet. With a yelp I leaped backwards and further into Deidara's plan. The bird landed on the ground harmlessly. I glanced over to Deidara, forgetting about the last bird. He was smiling a creepy sadistic smile.

"Behind you, hm!"

The second bird that had gone left was hovering just above my head. I cringed and, without thinking, dove forward- straight at the bird that landed. I cursed under my breath as I realized things were out of my control now, all I could do was try to weather the explosions out.

_**Boom**_

Fire scorched my arm, burning my hoodie away. The energy being sent out pushed me back toward the last bird. I tried to get a foothold on the ground. I slipped and missed, and skidded past the last bird as it exploded.

_**Boom**_

I cried out as pain ricocheted through my skeleton. My eyes were still open and I saw an expression of horror spread onto Deidara's face as I was sent over the edge. The forces from the last explosion caused me to flip in midair and allowed me to see where I was. My stomach convulsed. This was it. I had been pushed clear off the plateau and was over several hundred feet above the ground. Gravity reached out and pulled me down.

I was struggling to retain my consciousness as I plummeted like a stone toward the vast forest beneath me. Death was inescapable now. The generic trees were becoming more defined as I rushed toward them, the air was screaming past me. I squeezed my eyes shut against the sting of the roaring wind and inhaled one last time. The natural aromas of the forest were faint in comparison to the overpowering scent of smoke and charred flesh- my charred flesh. Daring to peek through an eye, I could almost make out the outline of individual leaves in the tree's canopies.

Really I would have preferred a different death, who wouldn't? Maybe something more heroic; but then again lately, there was a lot of thing I would have done differently. My heart panged at the thought of all the things I had yet to do, things I regretted, and promises unfulfilled. I never even got to say a proper goodbye to everyone. I wish I could have least done that. What an idiot I was.

A branch bare of any leaves struck wickedly into the sky; and I was headed right for it. My jaw was clamped painfully shut so I wouldn't go down screaming, my mind was racing, and all my muscles were instinctively bracing for impact. As if it were designed for the job that bone white branch snagged into my good arm that I was using to shield my head. As my full weight came down onto the branch it cracked with a deafening sound.

A part of my mind clicked. I had done this before. I had a clear mental snap shot of that branch in my head, those smells, this. Odd last thoughts, to remember your death before it happens. Maybe I was making it up, as distraction from my painful reality. I wracked my brain for the word. Desperately searching as if the word would miraculously dispel this and prove it is just some contorted illusion. Peering through my mass of tangled hair, that was mimicking Medusa's; I caught sight of my landing zone –a tangle of briars. I was only mere feet away from my death, the mass of brambles, when I recognized the word I was searching for- _Déjà vu. _A violently strong snag at my ankle was the last thing I remember before I lost consciousness.

A/N: Bwahaha…I'm ending this chapter here- this is NOT THE END. I got nearly this entire chapter done in one sitting (hurray for me). Well I'm happy with this chapter and had fun writing it. As always I'm eagerly awaiting feed back from you, my lovely reader.

Confident, Terrier

(I was planning on printing my story out at the end and so the other day I was combining the chapters into one word document. Much to my shock with the addition of this chapter it will be over 100 typed pages! That's too long for me to print out at my house.)


	16. Chapter 16

A place of eternal rest where you are punished for crimes during your brief life. A place scorched by hellfire and ruled by demon overlords. Hell. Only I couldn't figure out why I would be there. Sure I had lied, cheated, and stole a few times. Who hasn't? And surely it wasn't enough to send me into the bowls of hell until the end of time. I knew I wasn't in heaven; I had crossed that option off my list as soon as I had regained consciousness again. Heaven isn't supposed to be painful.

Pains were raging through my body sending all my nerve endings into overdrive. Of course I was –poorly- attempting to fight back against the onslaught of pain. My eyes were glued shut –mostly to stop myself confirming that I really was in a realm of fire and brimstone- and I was trying to take slow deep breaths. Breath in, breath out. Breath in, breath out. I focused and found I could name at least four distinctly different pains that were submersing me into my own personal hell.

Pain number one: The familiar dull aching pain in my right arm had resumed its constant pulsing throb. Though the bones had somewhat mended, I had overworked it in my attempt to escape.

Pain number two: Searing into my left arm was a wide laceration, which was slowly oozing globs of blood out. Vaguely I remembered shielding my head with my arm from a branch. I guess it is better that my arm got ripped into instead of my head.

Pain number three: There were several different splotches of this pain. Each was sending signals to my tired brain that the skin there was burning hot. One patch, stretching from the base of my skull to my back, was particularly discomforting. These tracts of sizzling skin were caused by Deidara's so called 'art'.

Pain number four: Though not as agonizing as the previous two Pains it worried me the most. Wrapping around my right ankle was strained sensation as if I had severely overworked the tendons and muscles there. When I had first woke I had tried to sit upright, much to my surprise (and annoyance) when I dug my ankle in the ground to push off of I couldn't. Well more of wouldn't then couldn't. Of all my maladies this was the one I couldn't tell you where I received it from. And of all of them this was the most limiting; if I couldn't put weight on my foot I couldn't run away.

After I got past those pains I could feel faint stinging lines splattered across the surface of my skin. It was as if someone had told a tiny kitten that I was a scratching post and the mangy fur ball had spent all night sharpening its claws on me. All the different hounding pains had blended together and roared upward into my head causing complete misery- hell.

Toying with the idea of still being alive wasn't something I was going to do. It was much too…too volatile. If I started to believe that I had some how survived falling off a cliff over fifty meters high…I could try to coax myself into thinking that there really were pink pigs flying in the sky. No memories of making a miraculous landing or even a crash landing filtered into my mind. My only explanation would be that my guardian angle had decided to get off its lazy ass and save me. Sighing heavily I wrenched open my eyes- fully expecting to see little horned demons attaching a heavy chain to my foot.

For a moment the world around me swirled before settling down into a fixed image. Vibrantly green leaves clinging to their twigs and branches intertwined to make a dense green canopy. Underneath there was not much direct sunlight letting undergrowth and shrubby grow; only a carpet of leaves, moss covered rocks and snarled roots. Where the bright sunlight did pierce through it created a thick patch of competing weeds, grasses and flowers. Bird's excited chirps echoed through the primordial forest. Hell isn't supposed to be this beautiful and timeless. Purgatory maybe? I hadn't really considered that option…

Daring to let my eyes wander down to examine my condition my stomach spawned butterflies. It wasn't that I saw my extensive mutilations; it was that I couldn't. Over most parts of my exposed skin white, starchy bandages had been applied and were now showing signs of my scarlet blood. Cool pads -that had lost the 'cooled' part- were over the burning areas. A sling was hanging from around my neck cradling my left arm close to me. I smiled a serene smile and let my head rest back down.

Closing my eyes once more I tried to piece together what had happened before I fell from the cliff. My head seemed to be thinking in slow motion and it was hard to discern what memories I needed. Eventually I found the right blurry images and sounds to replay themselves in my head: wind rushing past me as I fell, explosions eating into me, the fleeting sense of a strong jerk at my ankle, a malicious expression changing to horrified and frightened, and the strong impression that I had done this before at sometime. After a quick examination of each recollection I filed it in on a mental timeline.

What had saved me from becoming a similar case to humpty-dumpty was someone catching me by my ankle. The thing that I had the hardest time with was having a déjà vu. I knew I had watched myself fall into this forest with an aching arm and tearing into my other one. It was eerie, but wasn't a priority. For one I had no idea who had saved me or where Deidara had gotten off to. Had he assumed I died?

Furrowing my brow together as I lay on the ground, trying not to face what was becoming obvious. The only other person out here _was_ Deidara. He was the only person able to catch me via his overgrown sculpted bird. Motives? He could have several. Akatsuki could still want me for my arm and as plant food for Zetsu. I gritted my teeth together causing shots of pain to vibrate through my skeleton.

I would _not, _absolutely, _not_ become plant fertilizer or spare parts. I could always crawl, roll or slither away! I could deal with all those pains if I had control over my fate. Pains are only Plangent Aliments Inflicting Nauseating Sensations after all! And I'd rather die in the wilderness by my own choice than be murder by a group of people who have dark purple nail polish as part of their uniform!

While I was having a silent tirade to myself I didn't notice when a certain blond haired explosionist returned to my side.

"Hey," I cracked an eye open to see Deidara leaning over me with an anxious expression on his face. "You need to relax otherwise your wounds will start bleeding again. How are you feeling, hm?"

It took me a minute to form my words, and they still sounded like I was drunk. "S'not lie you'illy cares." I threw at him as crossly as I could sound and tried to sit up sending out streaks of pain.

Exasperatedly Deidara rolled his visible eye at me and gently forced me to stay down with one hand. "Well seeing that I have kept you alive the past three days or so I think I do care, hm! Didn't you already agree to not argue with me over everything?"

My mind sluggishly tried to remember that incident to no avail. "Umm, when di I'ay d'at?" I asked as best as I could. If you have ever had the experience of being on heavy medication or drunk beyond recognition you know how annoying it is when you can't pronunciation normal words.

"Maybe you should go back to sleep; you are even less coherent then last time you woke up, hm." He said mostly to himself. I looked at him oddly; I'd woken up before? I could remember that occasion.

Giving up on trying to talk, I just shook my head, driving nails of discomfort all over my body. No way was I going back to sleep if I knew Deidara was here! I ignored any voice that reminded me that I slept perfectly fine multiple times in the presence of Deidara, but still…then I had nothing better to do. As far as I was concerned I was still trying to accomplish my escape; which wasn't going to brilliantly. On the bright side the fact the Deidara was here meant that I hadn't died. I knew that I had utterly failed to inflict any damage onto Deidara so if he was alive then so was I!

"You never answered my question, hm!" I raised an eyebrow questioningly; determined not to make more of a fool of myself by talking nonsense. "How are you feeling Cla-…hm?"

"Ow." It got my message across with making myself out to be an idiot by babbling something like 'I'm no eeling oo ell'

At first I thought he was going to remark on my choice of word, but he changed the conversation to something else. "Since you have nothing else to do will you tell me you real name now, hm?"

I glared at him with narrowed eyes. "Ippopoamus"

It took him a second to realize what I had –tried- to say and that my name wasn't just something very bizarre like Hippopotamus. "You do understand that I could kill you if I wanted."

"Te pain is al'eady doing tat." I informed him. "Aye di'you drug me?"

"Oh," He cringed "I think accidentally gave you too much, Sorry about that, hm!"

"O'er douse on wha?" I was hoping it wasn't anesthetics, because I didn't want to even having an inkling of what I would feel like with no painkiller coursing through my blood…

"Sedatives, hm."

"Wha!? Why?"

"If you had gone and woken up earlier you could have messed up all my efforts hm! And knowing you, that's the first thing you would have done." Deidara had a point; if I had woken up to find him bandaging me or even being near I would have kicked and screamed to the best of my abilities.

So I forgave him for that- and not wanting to bring up how he got any type of drug into me- I changed the topic. "Wh'er am I?"

"In a forest, hm."

"I see d'at, bu wh'er?" I sounded ridiculous! Grrr.

Leaning back, Deidara relaxed; clearly if I was able to argue, I wasn't in any immediate danger of dying.

"Aye! Aswer me!" Still mentally Grring.

"We're several kilometers away from the cliff you tumbled off and over, hm. Okay?"

I nodded to save myself the embarrassment and strife of speech in my current condition.

"Now, hm," Deidara continued. I mentally groaned, I wanted to rest. "What's your real name? As in birth name, not something made up on the spot."

"Is it illy d'at imporant?"

"Usually when people are friends they trust them enough to tell them secrets. A name should be simple, hm!"

"Ends?" I said disbelievingly. I admit, _I_ considered him a friend but, I didn't think he considered me one.

He grimaced; thinking I had a death grudge against him. Only the reasonable part of me did. "O'ay, o'ay…were friends d'en."

Deidara smirked smugly. "Name please, hm!"

Venomously, I smiled back sweetly. "Nex ques'on."

He seriously considered his next question for me- something I tried not to worry over. Deidara must have alternative motives. What they were I was having an awfully hard time guessing at.

Killing me: Nope, I'm still alive.

Bringing me back to Akatsuki: Missed his chance to easily transport me with out having a fuss.

Leaving me alone: He's still here.

To get in my pants: Umm…he _might _be but, it was a little late for that. Currently I didn't look that attractive with my hair falling out in clumps and bandages covering almost every inch of exposed skin.

There were no more sinister options left that I could think of. Maybe he's truly trying to be nice….so when he retires and head hunters come after him with pitch forks he can say 'look I saved some one, hm!'…Or I can poke at the idea that he might genuinely want to be my friend…

"Okay, hm! New question!" Deidara announced. "Will you ever tell me your real name, hm?"

I gave him an odd look. Of all the things to ask me, he asks that. He has a hard time getting over concepts doesn't he? "Maybe."

That seemed to satisfy his curiosity so the time being. Deidara clambered onto his feet then turned toward me again. "I found a healing lady who will take a look at you, hm. But the old hag won't leave her house, so we have to go to her."

It took a few moments for that to fully register with me. I would have to be moved. A shudder ran down my spine followed by a wave of pain. I watched the red stain on my right arm grow as blood seeped into the cloth. "Are you alright, hm?!"

I groaned. If shivering sent me into pain, moving me might knock me out of it again. It's bad to not be able to defend yourself, but it's a total nightmare to not know what happens to you when you fall unconscious. Deidara was crouching beside me again, not sure what to do.

"What's that matter, hm?"

"I'm fine." I managed to croak.

"You sure?"

" 'Ot at all"

Deidara slipped an arm underneath my left shoulder. Pain lanced through me. "Wha are-"

"Carrying you, hm." He finished for me.

"Why! You 'ave clay birdies!"

"For one I don't have enough clay for those. Two-"

"You in Atsuki dough!"

"Shhh; let me finish." Deidara swung me onto his back. "Two if anyone saw my sculptures we'd be in trouble." He started to walk away from where we had been. Every single aliment cried out sending my nervous system into overdrive as a tidal wave of pain swept into my head.

"So we're going to walk d'ere?!"

"No, I'm walking there, hm. You're going to get a free piggy back ride there."

"Put me down, damn it!" I cried thumping on his back with my right arm, ignoring my protesting body.

For an instant Deidara let go of me. Freaking out, my hand curled into a death grip on Deidara's cloak. Now, if he had really let go of me, all that would have done is make us both fall into the ground with me most likely baring the brunt of our combined weight. He snickered at me and continued walked. Sighing I wrapped my right arm –which now earned the status of 'good' arm'- around Deidara's neck so I wouldn't fall off.

I frowned. Things weren't going to way I wanted them to. Then again they never really did. I wondered if Deidara had really thought out this plan. He was going to have to carry me quite some distance. Just because I might have lost a few pounds doesn't mean I'm that light. And if someone saw me it would raise suspicion. Its not very often that you see a half-dead person let alone one having a piggyback ride. And if Sasori or the plant person Zetsu saw us then…No! I refuse to die! I'd put my full confidence in Deidara's abilities!

"Aye, Deidara, wha a' bout Atsuki?"

"Don't worry, hm! I told them I killed you already."

"How pleasen of you. 'Ny proof?"

"I mangled up your hoodie some more and gave them that as evidence. Didn't you notice it was gone, hm?"

"Oh," Come to think about it I wasn't wearing my sweater anymore. "Why you here d'en?"

"I don't have any duties currently so it wasn't suspicious of me to leave, hm. Though I had to leave most of my clay behind."

"S'not wha I meant," But it was nice to know Sasori wasn't going to be tracking down Deidara anytime soon. "Why'd you come back for me?"

"Do you really have to have an answer?"

"Yea." Motivations are key to understanding a person.

"I don't have to tell you, hm."

Sighing I rested my head against his back, pressing my cheek into the dark fabric. I knew what he wanted in exchange for an answer: my name.

"I'm Tori." Thankfully I didn't mispronounce my own name in my befuddled state.

"Nice to meet you."

"Same 'ere I suppose. Now answer my question."

"Oh, right…uhh…it's because I like you Tori, hm."

A/N: I'm rather disgusted with some parts of this chapter. I'm getting annoyed with this story; I have always been a one-shot type of person- my favorite piece of work is only three paragraphs- so this was an experiment for me. Hey, at least I tried doing one full length story. I sincerely hope you enjoyed this chapter more than me.

(Also don't complain to me about Tori's grammar in this chapter)

Disturbed,

Terrier


	17. Chapter 17

There are a few individuals who are proud to be unique. No, not unique, they're unashamed to be a freak. And true freaks are not the ones who stand out from the crowd, but they are the ones that the crowd pushes out. Isolated from the rest. Several factors contribute to the forming of a freak. I'm going to concentrate on one. The crowd, the normal mass of people who can aspire all they want, but will never achieve much in the end. Crowds like uniformity, even if humans are allowed to be different, most will settle to be quite similar. If there is a defective person they are segregated from the rest. Then not only does the mass achieve conformability, but also has a source of entertainment. Who has never stared at an abnormality?

Even if they wouldn't admit it, the people on the road were staring at us. Peeking through their bangs, glancing over their shoulders, children openly stared unabashed. I'll blame it on the flow of red that was leaving a trail of splattered, crimson dots. Blood is a reason to stare, a reason to seclude a person from the shelter of the crowd. Safety in numbers, right? A few of the travelers timidly started to call out, from a safe distance, to see if I was ok. In the end they didn't; they didn't want to voluntarily eject themselves from the crowd by helping us.

Begrudging them wasn't what I preoccupied myself with though. I wouldn't blame them for not extending a helping hand. Honestly, _I_ would have ignored a person in my position. No sane person smiles, calmly at everyone as they bleed to death. Furthermore none of these people knew that I was being transported to a medical clinic. Or so I hoped.

Deidara, as much I tried to believe in him, had yet to prove we were actually headed toward a hospital of some sort. At least two hours had past since he declared that he was taking me to a healing ladies' cottage and all I saw was more road. Figuratively speaking of course; in reality I had turned my head to the side so all I saw were the passing trees.

Keeping Tori alive was probably not what he intended to do. All I had deciphered was that he was trying to irritate me. You can't begin to imagine how irritating it is to sit helpless as you bleed to death. Of course, I tried protesting; kicking, cursing, and threats to no avail. I could have called out to one of the hikers along the trail for help, but I didn't want to get them involved. With my talents I'd most likely get them killed. So I stayed silent; smiling at them as they started wide eyed at me and Deidara.

On a normal day neither one of us would have looked enough like the freaks we are to attract any attention to ourselves. Ok, so maybe Deidara would, but not me. People were scared of us; an instinct they didn't realize they had. It's never good to approach people who look like they came out of a meat-masher and Deidara's demeanor was unusual- not to mention his appearance and wardrobe. So people pretended to ignore us.

"Hey, Deidara?"

No answer. "Deidara!" I called a little bit louder.

Silence; though others were glancing worriedly at us, wondering if one of freaks was going to loose it. I tugged on the white cloth of his hat; which I thought made him stand out more then help hide his identity.

"Stop that, hm."

"Well, stop ignoring me!" Secretly I pleased to find that I no longer sounded like a three year old on crack.

"All you've been doing is complaining, hm!"

"That's not completely true!" I objected.

"Oh right hm, only two-thirds true."

"Even less then that. Maybe five-eights-ish."

"I phrased that wrong. All you do is argue with everything I say, hm."

Opening my mouth to reply I realized that he was right, and if I tried to deny it I'd been proving his point. Damn it. "If I agreed on everything you said our conversations would be much shorter."

"Perhaps we would actually have a normal conversation then, hm…"

"Anyways… how much longer till we get to this ladies house? Are we even going in the right direction?"

Deidara sighed. "I'm being really nice to you, hm. Can you try to say something with out a negative undertone to it?"

I scowled at him; well continued to scowl. He had refused to let me walk on my own, insisting that I needed to be carried as if I was some porcelain doll. Ideally it was better for me to just be carried; I saved energy and blood, Deidara would be worn out, and I would maintain more dignity getting a piggyback ride then using Deidara as a human walking crutch. Dwelling on the fact that I might not even be able to put weight on my right ankle was something I was purposely avoiding.

"Fine, fine my apologizes. I shouldn't snap at you. I guess… I'm a bit scared or something."

"Don't worry Clar- Tori. I won't let you die, hm!" It sounded like this was some sort of challenge to himself; a game of some sort.

"But we don't have a stake!" I blurted out.

"And why would we need a stake again?"

"To kill the vampires with." Geez, isn't it obvious? I saw a young child eyes widen and grasp onto her mothers hand.

"Quit scaring the locals Tori. Even if vampires existed why would they be out here, hm?"

"I swear if we spend much more time out here I'm going to start attracting vampires…Just look at the trail of blood I'm leaving! And if not vampires then wolves or bears!" The mother was glaring crossly at me and tugged her child who was fearfully staring into the shadowy forest close by.

Deidara snickered at my delusions. "You're going to get us arrested, hm."

"On what grounds?" I snorted disbelievingly

"Suspicious behavior to start with, hm."

"Only you would be arrested for that Deidara."

"Yea and they'd send you to an asylum!"

"Not if I act normal." I retorted back.

"That's beyond you capabilities, hm."

Franticly I searched for something to prove Deidara wrong. Not to be mean or anything, but to prove to myself that I wasn't a delirious, hallucinating fool. It's difficult to grasp what qualifies as insanity- especially when you might be insane yourself. "If I pretend to be mute do you think that would work?"

"Only to get you out of a mental facility, you'd wind up in jail with me, hm."

"Yea and then we could –would- plan a mass break out!"

"It would only be me, hm. You'd have bled to death by then; unless you plan to show me how you pick open locks faster than most shinobi."

"I wouldn't die!" It was an unthinkable concept for me.

"You don't have much of a choice in the matter."

"Deidara?"

"Hm?"

"I utterly refuse to let the only purpose of my life to be as a warning to others! So walk faster!" Deidara huffed irritably, but never the less picked up his pace.

-----A little while later, but an obnoxiously long time for me and –especially- Deidara-----

Petrified is a good word to describe the people around me, another one would be aghast or disturbed. Usually I could care less about the reactions of my peers, but this time I was the object of disgust and that bothered me. Their curiosity would lead to questions; questions were bad. I had yet to concoct a reasonable excuse as to why I had the appearance of a person that had been regurgitated by a shark.

Steamy, hot water was stinging all the individual cuts and I was praying to my non-existent angel to not let a cloud of red form around me. On the other hand that would scare away the bathers. That silly healing woman had not only _refused_ to travel to treat me, but wanted me to take a bath before she healed me. Apparently I was to filthy to even examine- suspiciously she also owned the bathhouse. I didn't really object to the bath, I love being in water, but it was putting me at odd with several people.

Already a couple of girls trying to relax had glanced over at me and left. The remaining ones were debating whether or not they should stay and harass me with questions. Deidara also didn't seem too happy with me for so readily agreeing to bathe. He probably was breaking his pocketbook paying for this medic. His fault, I decided, if he wants repair me it's his problem. Once I was restored to full health – or at least till the point where I can move without breaking down in pain- I could be on my way.

Deidara was nice and all -and if we had meet in some other way we could be friends- but just not in this lifetime. Even if he really meant what he said, I couldn't prove it. I grimaced; I liked Deidara. He was…err…fun to be around…and nice to look at…I could gamble- not the best of ideas for me but…- and trust Deidara to be gentlemen and stick to his word. Then again I couldn't recall him promising me anything. Ok, I would gamble on Deidara being a gentleman and…and not killing me or dumping me in the middle of nowhere to fend off the social workers.

Presently I clamored out of the hot spring, leaving the other girls to peacefully gossip. Limping heavily on a sick I left for the dressing room. Clean was something I hadn't been in around a month. Layers upon layers of grit and grime had peeled off my skin. Instead of a mop of greasy, mattered hair I had my light, fluffy hair back. Even if it looked like I had let a little kid play barber on my hair, it was clean, smelled good and had its original color of mousy brown.

"Miss," I spun around to see girl maybe around fifteen speaking. "If you'll come this way she will have a look at your injuries now." Before she even finished speaking she started to walk away, sighing I limped after her.

"Umm…" Red was quickly seeping into the cloud white towel that I made sure was securely wrapped around me. "Where did my clothes go?"

"Those ratty old things? I took the liberty to throw them away."

I can't say I was surprised, just a little bothered by the lofty attitude of the people here. "Even my shoes?"

"Yep."

"Do I get compensation or something?"

"Oh! Your fiancé is paying for your new clothes."

"Fiancé?" I stopped myself from giggling.

The girl glanced over her shoulder. "You two _are_ together right? I mean I just assumed you two were. It was so adorable of him to carry you all the way here! I wish _my_ boyfriend-" I tuned her babble out and concentrated on not tripping; I was wobbling badly and if I tripped it might be fatal. I was overdue for a new disaster.

Paranoia had already permanently engrained itself into my nature, but I was overly nervous by the time the healer arrived. She didn't look very professional. I'm not scared of doctors, I just didn't trust this ladies abilities. I have vivid memories of trying to learn medical jutsu with the help of team; I volunteered to let Ishi practice on a cut I recently acquired. When I woke up the next morning the cut had swollen to twice the size it had been. Ishi insisted that I let him try to heal it; the next thing I can remember was wakening up in the hospital a few days later. This healer didn't look much better then Ishi.

Glowing green chakra flowed off her hand and into various cut, gashes and burns. I watched –waiting to pass out or for an explosion of minty green chakra to occur- as my flesh neatly knitted itself back together. She didn't waste her time or chakra on small scrapes; just put a band-aid over them and left them to heal naturally. When she reached my right arm she started to gripe at me for not getting someone to heal it properly. I didn't mind that, I was admiring how my skin looked clean and in one piece. Also I was enjoying the ability to move and not be knocked to the ground by shockwaves of pain.

The only evidence of most cuts was the pink color to the skin there and a few scars remained as a reminder of gruesome open wounds. Satisfied that I would live, the healer swept out of the room; probably to go take a bath to rid herself of my scent.

"Isn't Madame Gouzen just amazing?" I looked at the girl who led me here. She was in awe. "Here is an outfit I picked out for you. It will be added to your bill. Please enjoy the rest of your stay here!" She handed me a bundle of clothing, bowed, and left.

-----Twenty minutes later-----

One of the biggest advertisers of you position in society is your clothing. I'm proud to say, though I don't have a lot of common sense, I have a sense of fashion. Clearly, the worker girl did not; my reflection in a mirror showed that. Everything about me pointed to the fact that I wasn't a normal bystander. I was unusually pale from lack of sunlight and it made my outfit look hideous. Yellow is _not _my color. Deidara was snickering behind me.

Complete catastrophe. My nice and clean hair was spiking out in all directions and kept falling into my eyes. I still had an abnormal amount of band-aids though I –thankfully- didn't look like a walking mummy. I was a conspicuous eye-sore.

"I….I look rather like a bumble bee." I had been forced to dress up in a bright, sunny yellow kimono. For my own needs I snatched a black pair of pants and cut down the length of the kimono. And in hind sight I probably should have trimmed the sleeves.

"A cute bumble bee though, hm!"

"Insects aren't cute! There all hairy and have lots of legs…uhg." I tried to block out the close up image of tarantula.

"If I say you're a hideous pig would you say your beautiful, hm?" I glared at him using the mirror, realizing that I was still contradicting everything he said.

"We should leave before either one of us attracts the attention of the fashion police."

"Hey, I don't look like bumble bee, hm!"

"Yea, but you look like an idiot." I smiled playfully at Deidara and started walking toward what looked like the main building across the courtyard.

"Oh, I guess this would be the time to tell you, hm." I froze; when boys use that tone of voice it's never good.

Warily I turned to face him. "Did you kill someone?"

"Not yet, hm."

"Yet?" Definitely not good.

"Take a seat." He gestured toward a bench nearby. Composing my face I sat down. Something was going wrong. My over due disaster hadn't been my appearance after all. "The bathhouse alerted the police that I'm here."

"Ok…so?"

"So we're about to attacked by ANBU members, hm!"

"What? Shit! Why are they coming after us? And we? I didn't do anything though! You're the one who kidnapped me!" Panic! Run for it! Complete ignore all sensible ideas!

"Shhh! Not so loud Tori! It doesn't matter; to them you're an accomplice."

"In what? I'm an innocent-well sort of – civilian! That's not fair!" I scoffed.

"I'm an S-ranked missing nin. The fact that you are with me automatically makes you a criminal, hm."

"Damn..." I couldn't go back to my home and now I was a criminal. What a dandy thought, to think that I'm going to chased around the countryside till I die. "Sooo we should be leaving right about now…"

"Yea, but you really shouldn't be over exerting yourself, hm. You might start bleeding again!"

"You want me to sit here and do nothing while they play target practice with me? I'm a bumble bee remember? This kimono is death trap! It probably has an explosive tag on it!" I leapt up and started padding my back almost sure that I would find a tag about to go off.

"Calm down Tori! Take a deep breath. I need to think abou- GET DOWN!"

Deidara didn't even bother to give me the chance to react on my own; he just shoved me off the bench. Figuring out what happened I rolled behind a statue. It was a leftover instinct from my days of training, but it was rather useless. Hiding in prominent yellow colors doesn't work.

Grinding my teeth together I tried to spot where the kunai had come from. The courtyard seemed abandoned; I couldn't even see Deidara. Had he run off? My fist curled around a stone, it was reassuring to know I had some type of weapon, however useless it may be. ANBU are supposed to be pretty good. I on the other hand was utterly useless.

Metal whizzed past my ear barely missing me. Cringing, I ducked my head down just like an innocent civilian caught in the crossfire. But I'm not a civilian, and the ANBU knew that. Then why'd they miss…

"Shit!" I swiveled around knowing I would see an exploding tag sending off sparks. I threw my arms up over my face; opting to have my arms blown off rather than my face. A force hurtled into me lifting me off the ground. I'd been hit by enough explosions to know what it felt like- and this wasn't it. In relief I clung onto Deidara as he landed on the tile roof.

"Here's the plan. You stay hidden and out of they way. If fighting comes close move to a new location. Scream if anything happens, and I'll come save you, hm." In his hand he was mashing together a clay figure.

"Right!" I punched my fist in the air. "I'll plan on them all being inexplicitly and totally incapacitated and so unable to hit a bright yellow target!"

Deidara's signature smirk returned and I was grinning like a madman, but on the inside I was smiling brilliantly. He was going to stay with me! Deidara could have easily escaped leaving me to be sent to an asylum or workhouse, but he was going to stay beside me. My heart inflated inside my chest threatening to crack my ribs. In the end, outcasts of society tend to band together and just laugh at the stupidity and ignorance that the rest of humanity harbors in their lives.

A/N: Hurray for me! I finished another chapter. I liked some parts of this chapter, but I'm worried about others. So review and tell me how I did; Ok? Ahaha….after four and a half hours of poking at my keyboard and then being rushed to finish because I needed to leave for an appointment I was like screw this I'm just going post it. And I'm glad I did because once I got back I had seventeen reviews for this chapter all ready! Hurray! I did go back and reword it a little though.

Love you all,

Terrier


	18. Chapter 18

Different opinions will have inevitably different answers to the same question. For an example, if I were to ask: 'What makes you feel secure and safe' I would get a kaleidoscope of replies. Some might say snuggling down in a heap of pillows- undoubtedly the most effective way to protect yourself from monsters living in your bedroom. Or maybe they would say something about a bunker; half hidden in the earth with thick iron platted walls. Though the latter is probably the safest option, for me, listening to a heartbeat is the correct response. It won't protect me from bombs, knives or stave off nightmares, but it is reassuring to know that you're not in this rat-race alone. It's nice to be cradled in someone's arms, with your eyes closed, listening to the constant beating of a heart.

Currently being sheltered in someone's arms sounded rather nice, but the only shelter I had was that of a wall, and the only heartbeat I could hear was that of my own; erratically pounding inside my chest. Every muscle I possessed was twitching; ready to leap away if the fighting got to near my hiding spot. Adrenaline was coursing through my bloodstream sending my senses into overdrive. I'd forgotten the feeling of being in a battle over the years. Ok, so I wasn't necessarily _in_ the middle of the fighting, but I was too close for comfort..._**Boom**_ …_way _to close.

Debris showered down upon me as I huddled against the wall protecting my head from flying rocks, wood, and anything else not nailed down. Deidara had decided that I was too good of a target on the roof, and horrible at dodging multiple attacks, and so pushed me off. I know that Deidara knew that I can land properly, but it was still kind of irritating.

Clutching a kunai, that had narrowly missed me earlier; I crawled further into the alley. I was pretty sure that most of the ANBU were in the main courtyard and were attempting to attack Deidara who was on the roofs. When I was pushed off the roof I landed in a passage way connecting the main courtyard and garden to another place which I couldn't see because of the wreckage blocking the path. So in a nutshell; I was trapped. If I went back up to Deidara I'd be killed or shoved off again and running into the enemy filled plaza wasn't a good idea either.

_**Boom **_

Immediately I curled up and plugged my ears. It's a miracle Deidara hasn't gone deaf. I can't really stress how _loud_ his 'controlled' explosions are. If you ever seen a fireworks show you've experience that ear-splitting noise from a reasonable distance. I was having my eardrums burst out by being with in a few meters of explosions.

_**BOOM…BOOM……BOOM**_

Dazed and disoriented I scrambled further back into the shelter that the shadows would, hopefully, provide.

_Thump._

"Huh?" I glanced up to see what was blocking my path. Or rather who. Painfully my heart lurched in my chest; staring down at me was a white mask painted to with swirly black designs to look like a cat. "Umm…did you need something?"

The emotionless mask stared back. I took that as a reply.

"No? Well then would you be kind enough to move…?" Still silence. "Pretty please?" More silence followed- would this constitute as an 'awkward moment'? Well silence coming from him that is; in the background shouts and clanking metal could be heard. They sounded strangely distance though. Heh, I could hear a bird chirping if I listened closely enough.

Darting out from his cloak was his hand gripping a kunai. Shit! The blade whizzed passed my face; I only narrowly avoided becoming nose-less, by sheer luck when I stumbled backward. I'd really hate to lose my sense of smell and consequently taste-cakes and sweets wouldn't be fun to eat anymore! Training resurfaced in my mind and took over. I went through a mental check list of things I'd been taught to account for.

Mission: Stay alive by any means necessary- legal and illegal.

Status: In progress- predicted outcome impossible to tell at the moment.

Team member(s): One. Deidara; expert with explosions, alive and actively engaging enemies.

Metal whizzed toward my face as the ANBU swiped at my face again, knowing my inability to fight a fair fight, I dropped to all fours and kicked out a leg. Seeing my move he jumped back, I leapt back several feet and brought my kunai to a fighting stance.

Enemies: Assumed to be highly skilled seeing as their ANBU. Armed with at least basic weaponry, but probably more since they had time to prepare. Avoid engaging in combat if possible.

Eyeing the two drawn kunai and only exit behind the ANBU, I concluded that running away wasn't going to work…damn…running away and hiding is about the only thing I'm good at. I do it well too, in almost every battle I wind up hiding while my team does the dirty work. It's easier that way, since I'm not bumbling around being a determent to my comrades.

Err…what's next on my list? Can't remember, I'll just skip the ones I can't remember. They're probably not important…

Back up plan: None. By the time I think of one I'm always running away already. Wait, so the back up plan _is_ running away.

Oh, I forgot about equipment. Equipment: A kunai and two shuriken.

Standing Orders: Hide, if that fails scream for help.

Screaming- wonderful plan. Now all the other ANBU will know my location if they didn't already. But orders are orders- until I find a loop-hold or realize they don't benefit me or I just don't want to follow them.

"Deidara!"

_**BOOM**_

"_**DEIDARA!"**_

Slicing the air beside me, a shuriken nicked my ear. Following natural reflexes I cupped my ear with a hand; the shinobi darted in and swung their kunai at me. Ducking down, I waited till his momentum carried him forward a bit, so I could lurch forward, and past him. Both of us reoriented ourselves before taking up our stances, only now I was closest to the mouth of the alleyway. But why had an ANBU so carelessly let me have an escape route?

Flying sparks, alerted me to the reason. An exploding note! I followed the training procedure of Jump, Cover and Roll. When we had been in school my friends and I were giggling as we watched the instructors fling themselves away, shield their head as they land then roll. We'd been grossed out at the prospect of running our new outfits just to practice a maneuver. Now, I was glad with all my heart that we had.

Powerful waves of heat blasted their way down the ally. The ANBU with the cat mask had escaped. Coughing I noticed flecks of blood spread the cobble stones when I did. That wasn't good I decided. Standing up my head swirled as if my brain was floating around in a whirlpool. For a second, splotches of black overtook my vision. It cleared away momentarily and then darkness fell completely.

-----After Tori's naptime-----

Sleep was becoming less and less a sanctuary for me. Dreams plagued my rest. No, not dreams. Nightmares. Visions of myself dieing only for the exact same thing to happen weeks later. Horrific places that no matter how hard I tried to run my legs were just too heavy to move fast. With relief I flung my eyes open.

Gray was the overwhelming color to greet me. I brought my hand up to rub my eyes. Immediately I noticed that when I jerked my right hand up, the left one was jerked up too. Brining both my wrists to eye level I noticed a chain of metal linking them together. Handcuffs.

"Sleeping beauty decided to join us today? Or should I say Sleeping 'Ugly'."

Grinding my teeth together I looked over to see Deidara slouched in a corner, also clad in handcuffs. I stuck my tongue out at him, as I hauled myself into an upright position. I turned my back on Deidara to take in our surroundings. We were in a reasonably sized cell, a cross-work mesh of reinforce steel boxed us in together.

"They're going to interrogate us in a few hours. The handcuffs drain chakra or something 'cause I can't feel anything."

"That's nice." Anger was boiling inside of me. Waves of irritation were rolling off me sweeping out and across the cell toward their target Deidara.

"This is your fault you know. If you hadn't fallen unconscious I wouldn't have had to get off the roof. Once I was on the ground, in that alley, I couldn't really attack back. I got swamped. If you had been more useful instead of being-"

_Snap_. The twine holding my anger in broke in two. That was it. Wheeling around- I stopped myself from slapping Deidara- and poked his chest, "Might I remind you that it is _your_ fault that you kidnapped me!" He could have just ignored his leader's orders, "What else have you done…

1) "Broke my arm." Just to find out my name too! Bribing me with cookies would have been much easier!

2) "Made me endure multiple explosions." If I get affected by radiation, he is _so_ going to have to pay for my medical bills.

3) "Thwarted my escaped attempts." Now that just irritates me.

4) "Locked us into a freezing room." How dumb can you be?

5) "Would have killed me." Honestly I wouldn't have told anybody about your little 'hideout' and sinister plans.

6) "Pushed me off a cliff." Ok, so his 'art' did that, but the key word is _his_. What else did he do?

7) "Overdosed me on sleeping drugs," If he had just explained the situation I would have listened.

8) "Subjugated me to being carried here," Everyone was staring at me…I think I'm traumatized.

9) "Ignored me when _you_ said to call for help," Hypocrite!

"And probably some other stuff, but then you blame this on _me_? Fine then! Since I'm such a detriment to you I'll ignore you and escape on my own!"

Priceless was the expression on Deidara face. I hope he was just shocked and not inwardly laughing at me. For _his_ sake he better not be laughing. I might have handcuffs on, but I can still bite, kick and scratch! No one would mind if I bet Deidara snotless; hell they'd probably cheer me on!

"Ok, ok. _Sorry_. I just hate really loosing, hm!"

"Evidently" I ground out dryly.

"So how do you plan on breaking us out of here, hm?"

"Us? No, it's _me_ and _you_. Completely separate entities! Any minute now I'm going to start to ignore you!"

"They will torture me if you don't help me escape, hm!"

"Good, let them torture you!"

"Tori, I don't think you really comprehend the severity of _our_ situation. They will torture _both_ of us!"

"I'll just tell them everything I know willingly!"

"They won't be satisfied with just the location of one of our hideouts, hm! They'll want details on members, and current activities!"

"Let's see…Akatsuki is trying to collect the Biju and to help with extracting them they want to use a second medium to quicken the process, which is why I was taken captive in the first place, right? "

Scratch what I said earlier; _now_ his expression was truly priceless. "When and how did you find that out, hm?"

"Do you really think I'm that retarded?"

"No, but I know that you have no acquaintance with luck, so guessing all that is beyond your abilities, hm."

Since he couldn't do anything besides talk I decided to gloat. "Well, as you know I got out of my cell at three times. The first time I was just screwing around. The second time I found this interesting binder, stuffed full of all things needed to invade Suna and effectively win a fight with its kazekage; Gaara. The final time I got out I overheard you and Sasori talking about Jinchuriki. So I concluded that Akatsuki must be trying to gather at least some of the nine Biju. Also I found this note with, really crappy hand-writing, about mediums and some other shit. At first I had no idea what it was going on about, but then when I eaves dropped on Zetsu and you guys I figured out that _I _was supposed to be a medium!"

"Ok before I question you on how you got out three times, how'd you figure out the extracting part, hm?"

"Because you guys suck at keeping prisoners- besides mediums are used for long and complex jutsu- other wise it was just a hunch" I didn't fall asleep during that lesson, merely because I was passing notes with my friends…Friends. I really wish they'd come to my rescue right now. All I have is a Deidara, and I've decided to ignore it. "No more questions now; I have to contemplate a survivable escape plan." And to make my statement more final I turned my back to face Deidara.

"Can you get me out of the cuffs at least, hm?"

"No."

"Look, Tori, I over-reacted. I'm sorry. I won't make up any excuses either. You have my sincerest apologizes, hm."

Words don't mean a lot to me. I'm living proof that lies can be told and go undetected by even experienced shinobi. It was that look on his face when I glanced behind me I supposed that changed my mind. He could have still been lying and planning to wring my head off but…he looked so…so…I guess 'adorable' could work.

Immature. How immature would I be? Very. I'm not going to give in just because I'm tempted to go give him a bear hug- or considering my size a miniature-bear hug. I sniffed. Just ignore him. Pretend I'm alone. Concentrate on being selfish. Was it selfish to leave Deidara at the mercy of enemies? I don't like the concept of debts, mostly because if I did, I'd owe Deidara. He _had_ saved me from immanent death on several occasions …But how many lives could I save by dumping him here? Dozens at least. If I kept him alive for personal reasons or killed him because I was upset with him; so either way was going to be selfish…I'd be honest with myself; I liked Deidara. And he liked me, enough that he wouldn't kill me. If that changes I can kill him then, until then I'd keep him around for the fun of it.

Sighing, I surrendered to my nicer side. "Fine. I'll get us out of here, but remember I'm still mad at you!"

Deidara grinned- not smirked or smiled wryly, but grinned. My heart grew wings and fluttered around my chest for a moment before settling down again. Thankfully I had turned back around again so my face wouldn't betray how pitiful I was. A boy smiles at me and I have to literally refrain myself from bouncing around the room.

Respecting my command Deidara stayed quiet, though I could hear him flexing against the restraints. I must have a talent in the area of digging graves- mine in particular. The sole reason I had gotten out of the cell at the Akatsuki hideout was because the door had been unlocked and then I got a hold of a key. Deidara was expecting me to have a talent in the area of escape, not endangering and killing my comrades. Settling into shinobi mode I watched escape attempts flicker through my minds' eye.

Attempt Scenario One: Once I get free from the manacles (that's considered a detail) I could call out to the guards then strangle or head-butt them through the bars. Then I could steal the keys and sneak out.

Attempt Scenario Two: Using chakra to break all restraining measure we go on a killing spree through the ANBU station and hide in the woods for a few weeks until travel is safe-ish.

Attempt Scenario Six: Dig a tunnel in under a 'few hours'. So morph into a mole and start digging!

Attempt Scenario Twelve: Wait until Deidara regains some chakra and then have he create a dust bunny bomb and blow our way out of here!

Attempt Scenario Seventeen: Seduce the guard and snatch the keys then…

…Every Scenario was lacking an important thing called 'details'…

… Logic was also non-existent….

…I hate having plans, so why am I bothering with one? All I can think of are demented plans that won't get past the first step once I think of what that is. So don't bother yourself in the first place, to hell with this…

"I've got an escape plan Deidara!" He glanced up from making angry faces at his restraints, he was grinning again, as if he actually expected me to have a plan.

"So what do we need, hm?" Deidara prodded.

"A miracle. Ok, first we-"Think, think, think. Can't think of anything. Uhg! I rolled my eyes toward the ceiling… "Oh, oh! Look! See the ceiling?"

"Yea, hm."

"It's got those panels where you can lift them up and there's a space to crawl around. We can escape through there!" I announced proudly.

"Do you honestly think that ANBU would be dumb enough to not notice that too? If we go crawling around up there we will probably trigger off dozens of traps that launch metal dripping with poison at us, hm!"

"Do you honestly think that I'm dumb enough to not calculate that in? First, I'll crawl around to the other side of the bars drop down then find and steal the keys. Next, once we're free from the cell, we will sneak around till we find a fire exit and-"

"Wait, how do you propose we sneak around unnoticed, hm?"

"If we wait around for a couple of minuets we'll have enough chakra to transform into change our appearances." I should still be able to do that.

"We can't just 'wait around, hm!"

"It's a detail. It doesn't matter right now!" Quizzically Deidara raised an eyebrow before shaking his head, either clearing his thoughts or giving up trying to reason with someone who doesn't have any reasoning. "Ok then! Give me a boost to the ceiling!"

Sighing Deidara locked his fingers together as a stepping platform. With his help I managed to wriggle and worm my way to the space above the panels. Cramped, stuffy, and smelly pretty much summed it up. A good deal of cockroaches and rats had died, a forest of needles stood testament to killing power of the traps. Only thing is I couldn't see them.

"You ok Tori, hm?"

"Define 'ok' and we'll see." I grunted. "Hey about how many meters forward do I have to go to get over there? I should have started closer to the bars"

"Maybe four meters, five to be safe, hm." By then I wasn't paying attention, something furry was brushing my calf, feeling its way up my bare skin.

"Wha...euh…BWAAAA! Eww, eww, eww!" Violently I thrashed around. I could feel more things starting to crawl over me.

"Tori, what's wrong?" The panel supporting most of my weight bulged. "Stop that, you'll fall-"

Too late.

"GAHH!"

The square of ceiling I was above gave way. Instinctively I grabbed on to the nearest edge and hung on. The pane of ceiling material clattered to the floor. I swung precariously a meter off the ground.

"GET IT OFF!" I didn't dare look at what was clinging to my leg.

"I would if you'd stop wiggling, hm!"

"But it's crawling up my pants!" I whined.

Already I was curling my fingers around the metal frame that supported the panels so I could have a better grip. I almost felt sorry for thing that was latched onto me as I tried to kick it off. My weight and movements strained the framework. Metal groaned as it bent out of shape.

"Tori …"

"AHHG! DEIDARA DO SOMETHING!" I looked wildly around for Deidara who had back into a corner.

"If you'd stop moving I could- Wait no! Keep doing that, hm!"

"Doing that? What are you…?" I followed Deidara gaze to the buckling ceiling. "…Oh!"

Swinging from the rafters I did my best to create maximum stress on the building. The ceiling shuddered. I kept pulling down on the ceiling and…

…_**CRASH**_…

Decaying carcasses of more of those pests, crumpling metal, and I all came down as the ceiling caved in. The little parasite on my leg made a resonating sound in its throat and slithered off my leg. Little itchy red marks were all that was left. Deidara pulled me out of the decrepit wreckage, brushing dust and debris off me as I hacked it out of me lungs.

Steel bars no longer limited where we could move to. The gap between the roof and the ceiling had been large enough for us to squeeze by. My whole in the ceiling stretched past where the bars went to. I had created enough space above the bars for us to jump over them.

"That's why I hate plans."

"Hm?"

"They never follow through in the end. It's better to just wing it." Straightening out I surveyed my handiwork. "How's that for art, eh?"

Deidara scoffed. "That's not art just a pile of wreckage, hm!"

"I thought you said destruction was art." I picked up a senbon needle from the ground and twirled it in my fingers.

"No, art is the beauty of a fleeting instant, hm."

"How long qualifies as an instant then?"

"What?"

"Well, in geologic time our lives are very brief. Our very existents can be called art."

"In real time, Tori, hm." I was about to continue my argument, but Deidara cut me off. "We need to get moving before they lock us up again. That stunt was rather loud, hm."

"So we grab the keys and go hide?"

"That was your poorly thought out plan, hm."

Everything else in step one went smoothly. Jumping up and over the bars, then the keys were poorly hidden, so freeing ourselves from the shackles was easy as well. I prodded my sore wrists; the skin was already turning a sickly blue hue. Could I ever just be free of injuries? The upper area of both arms were stiff again, I was supposed to be taking it easy. Grumbling I moved for the door.

"You look awfully sad for a person who just escaped, hm."

"We still have to get out of here, you know. My next disaster is almost due by now. We need to find a place to hide for a bit until some chakra returns."

"Just give me a minute, hm." Deidara was threading his fingers through his hair which he had let down.

"If we get caught because you wanted to fix your hair I'm goanna be _so_ mad at you."

"Geez, chill out, hm." He said as he gathered a handful of hair to create a ponytail with and carefully started to wrap the tie around it.

"Come on!" I reached to grab his wrist and forcefully remove him from the room, but he smacked it away. Sighing I tapped my foot impatiently, as Deidara rechecked to make sure his ponytail was centered correctly. He puts Goldilocks to shame.

Smirking Deidara lead the way out of the room. I let him lead- if anyone attacked us he would be a good shield.

"This is rather suspicious, hm, no ones here yet."

" Maybe we scared them off with our hair styles."

"Will you quit gripping already, hm?"

"Never." I flashed Deidara my best smile; he rolled his eyes at me- or at least his visible eye.

Light, fluffy feelings, which belong up amongst the clouds, never last long. A shadow along the wall ahead of us shifted. I hadn't been aware till then that I had been monitoring the surroundings so closely. Deidara's hand snapped into the universal 'halt' sign, but I was already frozen. His eyes flickers from the shadow and then to me. I nodded. Deidara's figure disappeared from my side; I crouched down and glanced behind us. Nothing; good. I heard a light thump, for a moment I shifted to stand up then realized that it might not be safe, yet.

"It's alright Tori I got him, hm."

I let out my breath and stood up. "Nice work. Poor fellow he must not have realized who we are." I commented once I saw the figure slumped on the floor.

"About that…"

"Huh? What?"

"Pick one. Is it 'us' or 'you and me', hm?"

Narrowing my eyes I answered. "I don't follow."

"As you can see being around me has its dangers. I won't hold it against you if you decided not to stay, but it's either we go our separate ways once we get out of here or we stick together, hm."

"Oh…umm…" What was he doing? And why make me decided now; we were still in the middle of an enemy base...I hate being under pressure. Deidara was dragging the body toward the room we had just exited, aside from that he seemed pretty casual and relaxed.

"Well, hm?" Deidara said as he walked back.

Live with no regrets, right? I'd decided earlier that I can stay with Deidara until I really feel threatened by his presence and then act appropriately. I'd keep to that plan.

Trying to summon up happy feelings I smiled sweetly. "I'll stay with you of course!"

I reached out to hold his hand and lace our fingers together. Deidara face lit up -my heart went back to fluttering around my chest- and he hugged me. Nestled in his arms up against his chest I could hear, as it settled back down, the beating of his heart.


	19. Chapter 19

_----- I got Captured by Deidara -----_

_----- By: Terrier.Z -----_

_-----Chapter Nineteen: Consistency is only a virtue if you're not a screw up-----_

Throughout our lives we are taught things. Just for the sake of it we often ignore these 'valuable' lessons and go to our own beat; but, eventually, we realize their importance and except them. Sometimes we're taught them or, if you're like me and refuse assistance, you discover them on your own.

So far I had learned a variety of lessons. When I was one year old I learned how to speak. On my third birthday I learned that dirt and cakes doesn't taste good together. At Five I learned that girls are supposed to act lady-like and not engage in mud fights- a lesson I promptly ignored. Around Seven I learned that my kunai can, and will, slice through flesh- and that it hurts like hell when it's our flesh. Consistency is only a virtue if you're not a screw up was the life lesson of my year nine. By age ten I had perfected my first few Justus and proudly showed them off to whoever I could get to watch.

The lesson at Twelve had been that relationships increase exponentially when you in a scary atmosphere; whether it be at the movies or on the battlefield. Close to Fourteen; I learned the pain of losing a friend and realized this was not the life I wanted. I learned to kiss at fifteen. Seventeen; I learned that convincing people to be plant seeds can be nominated as one of the most boring jobs in the world. The Nineteenth year of my life had been…interesting to say the least, but I hadn't decided if I discovered a lesson yet.

Momentarily deciding a lesson I learned was not my top priority. That prize goes to mission: Escape the ANBU infested compound. So far all we had succeeded in doing was knocking out two more enemies and getting lost.

"Oh, oh! Let's go down this hallway!" I said tugging on Deidara's hand. Deidara had given up trying to give directions and for the most part settled for letting me lead the way.

"May I point out something, hm?"

"No, you said I get to make up the escape plans right?"

"Yes, but I'm starting to wonder if you competency level is up to this, hm."

I frowned and stopped marching forward and demanded, "Why do you say that?"

Running a hand through his hair, no doubt trying to untangle a few strands, Deidara answered. "Because you've dragged me down this hallway already, hm! See that is where I killed that guy!

"I know that and I thought you were knocking them unconscious!"

"Then why are we going down it again? The maneuver is supposed to kill them, but with no chakra they might just be sleeping, hm."

"This hallway looks important. That's all."

Deidara chuckled- I was getting the impression that this was all highly amusing to him. "Why does it look 'important'?"

"Women's intuition…" Deidara arched an eyebrow. Or he might have raised both, but only one was visible, "Fine then; do you have an idea? An inkling of where we are? What country are we in?" I still didn't know what country I've been in after all this time.

"Actually I do. We are at the border station of Fire Country, hm." That wasn't very helpful. Fire is a rather large country.

"So these are Konohagakure shinobi? That's a big village. They've got the old grandpa as their leader though, right?"

"It changed recently. Now it's one of the Sannin, hm."

"Oh…ok." I tried to remember who the Sannin were, but to no avail.

"You don't even know who they are do you, hm?" I cringed, "Geez, you're hopeless sometimes."

"I bet they're important and unreasonably strong."

"Ok, so you're not _completely_ hopeless, hm." He amended.

"Now that we've re-established that, we better get moving before the people here figure that we've gotten out."

"I think they already know."

"Why do you say that? I don't see any swarms of ninja coming after us!"

"They had people checking in on us regularly, hm."

"Then where are they?" I looked around the dimly lit hallway then understood. Slowly I turned back to Deidara with an irritated look on my face. Deidara smirked.

"Why didn't you tell me I'd walked us into a Genjutsu?"

"I didn't want to ruin your fun." I gave him an evil eye- just watch as he wakes up with a knife in his heart, "Aww...don't do that you're ruining the effect. You looked adorable up until few moments ago."

I stuck my tongue out at him. "I thought art wasn't supposed to last forever."

Before he could answer I clapped my hands together and formed a seal. Closing my eyes I concentrated on interrupting the flow of chakra creating the genjutsu. With one final effort I opened my eyes and watched the fake corridors dissolve away. We we're standing right outside the room we had been locked up in. Two masked shinobi backed away, immediately tensing.

Glancing around I noticed that we had never even knocked out the guy that had been hiding around the corner. We'd been running around a genjutsu for along time then. I concluded these two weren't that strong and had been waiting for backup.

"Nice work Tori, hm."

"Thank you. I love thwarting other people's plans and take pride in the fact that I do it well." Deidara snickered, "It's your turn to do something."

"But they drained much more of my chakra then they did of yours, hm."

"Fine. You people!" I turned and faced my two opponents, "Please don't make me drudge up my training. Just run along and do whatever it is that you like to do."

"We like to fight." The bigger of the two answered.

"Oh…well…your loss."

Grabbing Deidara's hand again I started running the opposite direction. Did you really think I was going fight when I can still run? I heard a radio buzz and voices speak.

"Crap." Reinforcements were my worst nightmare, "Second plan: hide!"

"Really, hm? We're going to hide?"

"Yes, really"

Darting into the nearest hallway I ran on, Deidara closely tailing me. I didn't stop until I found a door with a plaque labeled 'Supplies' and on a whim entered it. Supplies are always good, we really needed supplies too.

"Don't turn on the lights, hm!"

"I'm not!"

"Then why are you looking for a light switch, hm?"

Noticing my hand had been reaching for the switch I dropped it to my side looking sheepish. "Reflexes." I answered and walked into the room, "They call this 'supplies'? It's more like a universal junk drop off!"

"Looks like they summoned a hurricane here, hm!"

"Yea, the hurricane of disorder. I'd hate to be the janitor for this place."

Littering the floor was piles of…of stuff. Not equipment or useful objects just leftovers from a knick-knack store. It looked as if someone had sent a hurricane of untidiness through to room. Cluttering the walls were boxes which Deidara had started rummaging through. Careful to only step on the carpet I picked my way through the room.

"Found something, hm!" Deidara was tugging something out of a crate.

"What is it?" I asked as he handed it to me.

"A backpack. Fill it with whatever you can find, hm." Deidara went back to scanning the content of boxes.

"Like pieces of glass?" I said nudging a large curved fragment, "They might be more useful than the actual whole bottles…Did someone something against these bottles? I can only see two ones that aren't fractured and about ten that are in need of superglue."

"Well what's in the bottles, hm?"

Holding the bottle to my face I swished the substance around. "Reddish liquid. Maybe it's blood- I told you vampires exist!" Tucking it away in the backpack- just incase we are attacked by vampires and needed a bribe- before moving on to more promising piles of hodgepodge.

"Did they confiscate all your clay?"

"Yea, and it was my emergency-last-resort batch too, hm!"

Lifting up a piece of patched fabric I discarded it behind me. "Any of your chakra recovered?"

"No, but I'm surprised you got any of yours back so quickly, hm."

"Chakra recovery has always been a strong suit of mine."

"Can you use any complex jutsu yet, hm?"

"If I knew any I probably could."

"Shattering doors isn't complex, hm?"

"That was only me shoving compressed chakra into the wood then expanding it."

"Like an explosion then, hm!"

"Sort of…" More like I messed up the unhinging jutsu….

"Sasori was seriously pissed when he saw that door. I bet he's going to still going to be griping about that when he finds me in a few days-I have no idea how we are going to replace that door, hm"

"Wait! Why is Sasori going to find you in a few days? He's going to kill me! He definitely looks like the type to hold grudges against someone." Well, if we stay hidden in the compound then he can't find us right? I like my head on my shoulders!

"We are overdue for a new mission…Jackpot! I knew they were hiding weapons in here, hm!"

"What's in there?" I said gathering up my bag of rejected items.

"Kunai, shuriken, senbon needles, scrolls…Everything except clay, hm!"

"I still think they should change the room's name." I mumbled.

-----After equipping and debating the way rooms should be named-----

Whole; I felt complete. It felt right, like a missing piece of a puzzle had been found and put in place. The weight of the holster on my right leg felt comforting. I could feel a phantom headband tied around my head like I had done for missions. I'll admit I miss getting to wear my village's forehead protector. It meant I belonged to something bigger and could rely on them. I was always so proud when I wore it out in public- even if I had hanging around my neck carelessly. It meant I was strong. A true shinobi.

When retiring you're supposed to hand it in. I had gladly handed it over and forgot about it in a few days. Or at least I pretended to. Really I missed that piece of metal; it saw, and stood testament, to my triumphs and losses. I had traced the little waterfall etched into its surface so many times…. The thought entered my mind again. The offer would still hold until I died after all. If I wanted too, I could ask the council for my headband and- NO. Bad Tori! Don't you dare even consider doing that! That would equivocate to committing suicide! NO, no, no. I love being alive and free…

"TORI!"

"Huh! What? Sorry!"

Deidara waved a hand submissively "Never mind… you just spaced out on me."

"Sorry," I repeated frantically, "I was thinking about the…uh…eating snicker doodles!"

"Calm down Tori, hm!" He said and ruffled my hair smiling. I like it when he smiles. My own personal day-brightener. I'm sure he doesn't smile at Sasori like that.

"You have a nice smile." Deidara smirked; I let out a sigh, "I said smile not smirk." I glared at him before turning around; trying to avoid another conversation that might be an argument.

Closing my eyes and rubbing the bridge of my nose I didn't notice Deidara step closer. I sensed it though; his hot breath on the back of my exposed neck, the warmth seeping off his body. As the space between us closed up, the air around us heated up. The only real fire was the one burning my in my stomach and lighting my heart on fire. My heart skipped a few beats as the fire consumed it turning my insides into an inferno. Compared to that, the air around us didn't seem like a furnace, but more like a refrigerator. Suddenly I wanted to be held. The aching, the longing, in my heart could be cured if I just turned around and…

_**THUNK**_

The heat dissipated as we jumped apart. Immediately reverting us back to into two shinobi. Well a shinobi and a half. Pointing two fingers in the 'move forward' sign toward the door we took up positions on either side of the frame.

"Idiot!"

"Keep quiet you two or the convicts will here us." Convict? I was not! I was just a misplaced, completely harmless civilian…

"Tori?" He whispered, picking up from a tattered map I had found while scrounging around the floor for my dropped holster and observing it.

"Hmm?"

"Can I make the plans now, hm?"

"Nev-, "I turned my face back to Deidara and caused myself to lose the argument. He was smiling again…hehe….err…Besides; it would be better for someone of his caliber to take care of the planning, "Fine. I relinquish that duty to you only if I can I still keep my bag of misshaped and deformed objects."

"And I was beginning to think I'd cured your derangement, hm! If it really matters you can, but you have to carry the pack." Deidara huffed while rolling his eyes.

"What? Don't look at me like that. The stuff looks cool. It's all jagged and colorful…" I slung the pack over my shoulders.

Crouching down Deidara made a kunai appear in his hands and gripped it. The cutting edge gleamed in the dark. It was new. Never had the steel cut through flesh and gotten splattered by the blood. It had yet to knock air borne missiles out of the air and have sparks fly off its surface when it clanked against another kunai, but very soon it would.

"When I give you the go ahead leave this room and head right on this corridor. Then take your third left; at the very, very end you should see the double doors that lead into the front courtyard. Don't worry about me I'll be right behind you. Understand, hm?"

"Roger that!" I did a mock salute while smiling childishly. "I go right, then take the third left and go out the doors at the end."

"Ready, hm?"

Checking to make sure my backpack was secure; I made a final adjustment then spoke. "Ready and waiting!"

In rapid session, Deidara formed a series of hand signs then disappeared. I blinked.

"Dei-"

"It's a camouflage jutsu, Tori."

"Oh." My interest perked. Tilting my head to the side I tried to remember what signs he had used; sheep, boar, something, something, monkey maybe? Uhh…Air blew past me as the door creaked open. I hopped behind the door so I wouldn't be seen. Everything was silent for a moment before Deidara leapt into action.

"Gaaa-"

"Huh? HEL-…"

_Thump_

Clamping my hands over my ears I tried to ignore the first few screams. Screams made me feel bad. Guilty. A person just died…My stomach flipped over and my confidence wavered.

"GO!"

"Huh? Oh, right!" Scampering out the door I almost tripped on a body before being able to break out into a sprint.

Industrial gray tiling and pale blue walls blurred past me and I almost missed the first hall that went left. I was looking behind me trying to see if that was really the first left or if it was the second when I tripped. Wait, _I_ didn't trip. The person didn't move out of my way fast enough so I crashed into them. So it's their fault; not mine. Anyways I crashed into someone; a girl around my age wearing civilian clothing. No wonder she was so slow.

Groaning she held her head and looked around thoroughly disoriented, maybe expecting another person to come hurtling out of nowhere. I had already leapt to my feet, rubbing my forehead where I was going to have a new bruise.

"Err…Sorry. I'm hurrying!" I grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. She stared at me, still confused, as I scurried away.

Clutching the straps I skidded when I neared the third left turn. I wasn't coming to a complete stop though. I dug my heel in more. The laws of physics –which absolutely hate me- took over and I slipped, tumbling backwards onto the floor. Shakily I pushed off the ground, observing how the blood dripping from my forehead pooled on the floor. A steadier force lifted me off the ground by my backpack.

"You seem to especially like this floor, hm!" I laughed once as I looked down the hallway.

This corridor was larger; a main artery of the building. At the end glass doors let bright light flood into the building. Several ANBU were stationed along the hallways; they were all now looking at me as they drew their swords out. I grimaced.

"Aw shit! It's like running the gauntlet!"

"This _is_ running the gauntlets, hm!"

"Is there another way…?"

"Yes, but by then they'll have their entire force after us, hm."

Exhaling sharply I calculated the odds of Deidara's survival. I could guarantee mine since I specialize in suicidal plans, but Deidara…Wait I'm worrying for no reason! Deidara is perfectly capable of standing his own ground. He didn't achieve his rank for nothing!

"Last one there has to buy dinner then!" I announced grinning in Deidara's direction.

"What?"

Ready…set and…GO!"

"No! Wait, hm!" I was already meters ahead of him.

Flickering motions in my peripheral vision gave away the ANBU's attack. Just in time I preformed a substitution jutsu. The blade sliced through a flowerpot sending dirt flying everywhere. Hearing cursing from behind the wolf-mask I smirked. Deidara was still several meters behind me.

Hearing the whistling of shuriken I fell to the ground, catching myself on my hands. The shuriken overshot and planted them in the wall instead of my back. The smirk forming on my face disappeared when Deidara's blurred shape past me by. Angrily I pushed off the ground and tried to catch up.

Narrowly avoiding several more attempts on my life I was still several steps behind Deidara. Trying to run faster was hard. I had the sensation dreamers often have where no matter how hard you run you're still painfully slow. The door was so close now too!

Reinforcements arrived; the fours of them blocked the only way out. That should have been bad, but it meant Deidara had to slow down to deal with them. The masked shinobi took up fighting stances. Deidara armed himself with shuriken. Fighting can be fun, but playing chicken is even funnier. I targeted the smallest ANBU member- he was wearing a pig mask- and charged forward. I wasn't going to lose. I pumped as much chakra as I could to my feet as I ran. I wasn't going to slow down either.

The ANBU didn't move aside, brave little fellow, even as we collided he continued his line of duty and took up a death grip on my shirt. The glass door shattered as we barreled through it; shards of glass were flung across the cobble stones. I twisted around to makes I wasn't going to get the brunt of the impact. We both braced for impact and…_**Thump. **_Skeletons rattled, but only one was impaired.

Untangling myself, I slunk away from the Pig-masked ANBU member and walked further into walled courtyard. Who says that my plans won't work? Deidara arrived at my side, giving me an odd expression, I was about to make a snide comment about victory when I noticed our new situation.

This was a worst case scenario. At least twenty or so masked shinobi surrounded us. Not only were we out numbered, but we were under equipped too. Deidara had no clay left and my aim was as bad as ever- if I was lucky I could knick their ears or something. Deidara audibly ground his teeth together. I was nervous to say the least. I didn't like they look of things.

"Sooo do you have a miracle in your pocket?" I whispered.

"No." Deidara whispered back. "Do you, hm?"

"Maybe…." Glancing around wondering if my newest idea would have any chance of working. "Hey, these guys are from Konoha right?"

"Yea, but what difference does that make, hm?"

"Potentially a big one."

I reached inside my bag and felt for the smooth surface of the glass bottle at the bottom. Upon feeling it I tugged it out, carefully watching as the ANBU adjusted their stances as I moved. What I was going to do was bluff. They knew Deidara was an expert with explosives so me having one wouldn't be too unbelievable. Of course, I really just had a bottle full of a colored liquid, but they didn't know that.

"FREEZE!" Immediately everyone tensed. If someone says that in a combat zone it means that they've got you in checkmate. All eyes were on me now. "Move and I'll drop this." I threatened.

Keeping my face serious and sincere; I narrowed my eyes and put on a slight frown. All the eyes trained on me were filled with concern. The exception was Deidara. He was looking at me in bewilderment.

"Tori, you do know tha-"Deidara started.

I interrupted him before he could expose my bluff. "If I drop this you can kiss your life good bye- not to mention the building!" I allowed a smirk to cross my face as a few of the enemies shifted out of an attacking stance and exchanged glances with each other.

"Tori what are you-" 

Hurrying on with my act I cut Deidara off. "By the time I count to three all of you need to drop whatever you are pointing at us! ONE…" A few gave up their weapons immediately. A look of realization passed over Deidara's face and he smirked as well, knowing I was just improvising. "TWO…" More and more carefully lowered their katana and dropped their shuriken. "…THREE!" The few that retained aggressive postures, and were still armed, tensed as I raised the bottle over my head, ready to hurl it at them.

"Wait!" A short person stepped forward hesitantly with a hand raised in the universal 'halt' sign. Their face was concealed behind a bird mask, but it was a women's voice.

Suspiciously I narrowed my eyes, but lower the bottle just a bit. "What is it?" She called out.

"What is what?"

"The bottle I mean. What does it do?"

Experience in the lying department meant I already had false answer prepared. "It is an explosive of sorts." I winked at Deidara.

"If you drop that then you'll die too then!"

"Not necessarily. We maybe be burnt here and there and maybe have some singed hair, but we'll survive much better than this little town will. It's gonna be reduced to ashes." I grinned maliciously and twirled the neck of the bottle in my hand, watching a few of them cringe, before raising it again. My bluff was creating the desired effect. The masked figures exchanged glances. If I was right these Konoha ANBU had to put civilian safety before all else.

The bird-masked person sighed and her nearest companion nodded. "And what would we need to do to get you to not throw that?"

Bingo. "Drop all your weapons and do not follow us. If you start to pursue us later on I'll happily start a nice forest fire near the town. That ought to roast a few of the locals." Being evil is fun. What's even funnier is that I can't really do any of that. Even if I could I'd never barbeque innocent people.

With exaggerated slowness the spokesperson knelt and dropped her blade. The people who weren't already disarmed followed suit and dropped their array of weaponry. Perfect. I was radiating smugness by then. I love winning. I absolutely adore being the victor.

"Well then, it was not wonderful knowing you and I hope I never see you again, hm." Deidara tipped his hat and winked at me. I took a deep bow and simultaneously threw down a handful of smoke bombs. Purple smoke swirled up around us, quickly becoming a towering plume.

-----Several hours later-----

Spinning a kunai around a finger I admired the red and orange sky that was visible from between the buildings. A few stars were already visible, twinkling dimly in the early night sky. Foot steps approached and I sheathed my kunai. Turning around I smiled at Deidara. He walked up to me and kissed my cheek. My smile turned from polite to brilliant.

"Hey, I've been wondering, what were you planning on doing if they didn't buy your bluff, hm?"

"I dunno," I shrugged "Look like an idiot for a few moments then get on with conventional fighting, I supposed."

"The only regrettable thing is that they didn't get to admire my art, hm." He said with a serious nod.

"Very unfortunate of them. I'm sure they will be regretting that for a long, long time. On another note; we _both_ need a wardrobe change. We look rather conspicuous don't you think?" I twirled around showing off various mud splatters and streaks of blood staining my yellow top.

"If we don't look conspicuous, we certainly smell it. Was it really necessary to use _that_ many bombs? My cloak reeks of purple, chemical smoke now."

I sighed. Deidara had been complaining about the smoke bombs ever since he stopped coughing it out of his lungs. Really, it's not _my_ fault he breathed it in. One of the first things they tell you about using bombs is don't inhale any of it. Ok, so it is my fault for using nearly triple the amount then needed, but still…

"I was trying to kill off the local wildlife with pollution. I'm sure I knocked a few birds out of the sky when they flew through that cloud."

"You probably made a few of those ANBU pass out as well, hm!"

"Even better; I bet I'm making the entire population of resident skunk jealous. Now did you find any money or do I need to go try my luck at pick-pocketing? " Deidara revealed a purse bulging with money and tossed it too me. "Swe-et!"

Catching the money I fumbled with it nearly dropping the purse. I had severely under estimated its weight. Who ever had previously owned this had just lost a small fortune. I started dreaming of all the things I could buy with this; primarily food, sweet not savory food. Cupcakes, ice cream, cake…Talking of which…

"You!"

"Hm?" Deidara blinked out of his thoughts in surprise. "Something the matter?"

"You still owe me a cake!" I hadn't forgotten his promise back when we were passing notes under the door.

"Oh… right. I do owe you a cake don't I, hm?"

"You sure do! You also owe me dinner." I beamed- food!

"It's not really fair if you start a race and don't allow all the contestants to agree on the prize first, hm."

"Life's never been fair."

"Since we both agree that life causes grievances; pick one. Food or clothes shopping, hm."

"Oh no. I hate ultimatums…ehh… I choose both!" I grabbed his hand and started towing him toward the bustling street ahead. After leaving the ANBU compound we had come across a city and decided to camp out there for the night instead off fending off bears and insects all night.

"Fine, fine, but this has to be a date then, hm!" He grinned.

I made a face at him. "Sure."

Slowing down to a more casual pace, I latched onto Deidara's arm and leaned into the warmth radiating from his body as I walked. If I had learned anything from this whole adventure it was to appreciate things more. After spending weeks underground each time I went into the sunlight I wanted to stop and just bask in the warmth. I never knew if I was going to go back into solitary confinement and so I decided I would ignore the fact that, despite my threat, the ANBU would follow, just more cautiously. The remark Deidara had made about Sasori finding him for his next mission was sealed away in the back of my mind. Right now I was just going to enjoy my date with Deidara.

_-----Word Count: 4,653-----_

A/N: Ok, I will not state my opinion on that chapter since I lack the ability to fairy judge my own work. And I'm sure you guys are tired of hearing me complain- it's the plot, not my writing this time.

This is, of course, un-anything-ed except spellchecked, but I _am_ going back and proofreading/editing each chapter. Thus this chapter was delayed a few days. I'm not going to apologize though since I really do need to edit the rest of the chapters- only thirteen left to go!

Also, like so many other authors, I'm returning to school soon. I should be able to get one more chapter out before then, but no promises.

Love,

-Terrier


	20. Chapter 20

_----- I got Captured by Deidara -----_

_----- By: Terrier.Z -----_

_----- Chapter Twenty:_ _If only sense made more confusion_…_ -----_

Some things just don't make sense. The numbers don't add up; two and two will never equal three- despite my previous assumption. And no matter how much I try to make sense of it the fact still remains disorienting, confusing, and just plain frustrating- even in the land of skewered logic! How in the world was I nervous? I'd plowed through battle fields, jumped off cliffs, infiltrated enemy bases, and participated in other extreme sports, yet I was still nervous! And of what? Going on date? Holding Deidara's hand? Getting a kiss? Of course not! Ahaha...haha...ha...ha...

-.-"

"…Hic!..."

Denying that I was nervous wasn't going to work; I clearly had a case of the hiccups- caused by being overly worked up over nothing. Cliché? Yes, very. So movies aren't cemented in reality, but they still are based on it. I hate to admit that I was in a sad state of disarray. Deidara had been my companion for the last few weeks, but being in a romantic-ish relationship is different then being friends and even further different from a hostile relationship. It's in a whole other realm. And I didn't like it. At all. It was nerve racking. Literally.

Breath in, breath out. Suppress the hiccupping! "Hic!" I let out an exasperated sigh. This was going to embarrassing. Looking up I swept a lock of hair back into place and inflated my pride as much as I could before I stepped out.

"How do I look? Pretty?" I did a twirl, the long sleeves flared out around me.

Drawing upon our extensive knowledge on dating -probably drawn from those cliché books, friends and other highly reliable sources- we'd gone shopping. I speculate that Deidara only consented because we needed less ostentatious clothes due to dead or live status on our heads, not because he wanted to be dragged around a girly clothing store. I went through the ritual of sorting through racks of clothing to find that perfect outfit while Deidara played the part of the bored boyfriend. Scratch that, he _was_ the bored boyfriend, he'd long since picked out an outfit and paid for it.

"Beautiful, hm," He nodded in agreement, "The rusty coloured hues go well with your skin tone."

"Do they? Hic!" Mental cringe- for once couldn't I sound normal! "That's not good; once I get my tan back they won't go so well." I stretched my arms to see if the fabric would do well in a combat situation. It seemed stretchy enough.

"Just give it up. You've tried half the clothing in the store, hm!" He said gesturing to the pile of outfits I'd tried, scrutinized, and then discarded. I made a face at him. "What's that face supposed to display? You look like your fingers are being broken!"

"It was supposed to be my rendition of the- hic -the evil eye…and how would you know what people with their fingers being broken off look like?"

"Long story, hm." He grabbed my arm and steered me toward the cashier.

"Geez, you can be so pushy!" I stumbled along after him- dress shoes aren't good for fast paced movements.

"We've stayed here to long we need to relocate to a different part of town, hm!"

"Where? The arts district or would you prefer the red-light district? Hic!" My sarcasm sounded less potent when I hiccupped every two sentences.

Good naturedly Deidara rolled his eyes, and turned his head so I wouldn't see a grin- I still noticed. I handed the cashier a clump of money not bothering to count out the exact amount. The lady looked like she could use a tip. I patted my scruffy looking bag, reassuring myself that my few kunai and spare weapons hadn't grown legs and ran off.

"So," I began as we wove our way through the crowd. "Any suggestions on what to do next?"

"We have better cover hiding out in this town then sneaking through the woods agreed, hm?"

"Agreed." Tactically I thought that gaining a lot of distance would be the best idea, but I didn't voice my opinion this time. Deidara had more experience in evasion then I did. I pushed my way over to a low wall and climbed on top.

"So I suggest that we do stay here at least until the festivities die down, hm."

"What if the…the…hic! The…masked people…"

"The ANBU?"

"Yea! Those guys, they might be here. Stalking us in the shadows or as innocent looking civilian. You never know, those guys are pretty sneaky." I said as I scanned the mass over moving people, from my vantage point it was a little easier.

"You're underestimating me, Tori, hm. You think I'd let them stalk you?"

"Well…" I started, preparing an argument.

"It wasn't supposed to be a rhetorical question."

"Hic!"

Deidara snorted and looked away. The slight trembling in his shoulders gave away semi-suppressed laughter.

"Really, it's _not _funny Deidara! Stop laughing every time I- hic!" Embarrassed I cover my mouth, vainly hoping that the presence of a hand would stop me from emitting funny sounds.

"Sorry, hm. It's just incredibly funny." He snickered until a broad grin- not that eerie smirk that sometimes flickers across his face- appeared. It still looked like he was trying not to laugh.

Whipping fully around I was going to punch him, whether I hiccupped in the middle of beating Deidara or not, when I noticed that smile. It was not that my confidence of slapping him successfully faltered, but that the will to do so faded away. Deidara looked too adorable to hit…hehe…

Pausing in the middle of turning around I let a few thoughts assembled themselves in my head. My eye probably widened as I realized something. For one thing I was being overly disagreeable; even by my standards. I didn't need to be so worried about liking Deidara, then he saying 'Oh, well yeah, hm. I don't really like you at all.' He was making a great effort not to laugh at me, and not to give me something to start up an argument on. I should just relax and act normal. Or at least normal_ish._

Marveling at my genius a small smile twirked up the corners of my mouth…Deidara really did like me! I had been having suppressed worries about this issue since he carried me to that hot-springs place, but I let go of those insecurities altogether. I was just going to enjoy this time, like I said I would, before some catastrophe happened.

Making a playful face at Deidara I pointed northwest of us. He raised an eyebrow, "See anything of interest, hm?"

"On the third story of that tower there's a nice little restaurant," I gestured to the side of us where the tallest building in the town stood, looming over the plaza. "If we can survive making it through the mass of other couples, lets eat there."

Deidara puffed out his chest, and then did a sweeping bow. "No worries Tori! That's what I'm here for, hm!"

Outwardly giggling, I calculated our chances of making it to the café without being turned in the wrong direction "Shall we go then, hm?" Deidara held out an arm, hopping off the wall I latched on to his arms like the ladies do in older films.

Pushing sounds to gruff so…we battled our way through the crowd. Or at least Deidara did, one handedly too! I was more than happy to just hold on to his other arm and be towed through the riving mass of people, all moving in their own directions. Not that I was being lazy- of course I wasn't…- I was just beyond being thrilled because I was holding on to Deidara!

One of those quirkier things in life is that one you're near to that special someone the sense of touch becomes so much more heightened. The closer you get to them the more on edge you become. Every breeze feels electrically charged; your stomach feels like hot liquid is churning inside. Even if you're running on three hours of sleep, energy coils into your muscles. Though, it's very frustrating to not lean over curl yourself into their arms, that feeling of your heart melting is addicting…Even if it is only a response hardwired into human mentality to insure species survival.

-----A while after the Battle of the Crowd-----

Eyeing my plate I debated my chances of actually finishing the food. Twenty-three peas remained, scattered across the white, ceramic dish along with remnants of other foods. Grudgingly I skewered a pea.

"You know," Deidara began, "It isn't like you're being forced to eat _all_ of the food served, hm!"

"No, no I'll finish it…I need to gain my protective layer of blubber back."

"Your protective layer of blubber? You were never fat, hm!" Deidara contradicted.

"The last time I weighed this much I was twelve." I retorted, eyeing the pea.

"When did you have time to weight yourself, hm?"

"It's an estimated guess." I sniffed out.

"My back still somewhat achy from carrying you yesterday, hm. You're still quite heavy."

"So you think I'm too fat?" I plopped the pea back down and leaned back.

"No."

"Then I'll get on with finishing my portion of peas. Why don't you finish your food?"

Glancing up, my mouth twitched into a frown. Deidara had several stacks of bowls, plates, and sauce dishes in front of him; all on which had been emptied to the last kernel of rice.

"Since you've been poking and prodding them for half an hour now, how many more peas do you have left, hm?"

"Twenty-three." I answered before Deidara had finished speaking.

"You counted?"

"Yes." I scooped up the pea and returned to try to coax myself into getting down to twenty-two peas.

Deidara abruptly looked down and coughed. I still didn't see why this was so humorous. Scowling, I quickly stuffed the pea into my mouth, to keep myself from saying something nasty.

He started snickering at me again.

Glaring I stuffed a fork full of peas into my mouth- only sixteen left to go.

"I never seen someone one struggle so much over just finishing a meal, hm. Is this something you always do?'

"No-well yes sometimes but, but, that's not the point! I'm making a fuss over it just for you! Aren't you delighted?

"Delighted? That wouldn't have been my first choice of words- maybe more like amused, hm."

"Well that's more than a little sadistic! Taking amusement from other people suffering!"

"Suffering…? It's just a harmless pile of peas! Besides you're constantly torturing me, hm!

"With what? My highly advanced shinobi training?" I popped three or four more peas in my mouth.

"It seems to offend you when I snicker, let alone, laugh at you! I spend all my time trying not laugh, and it's starting to hurt my stomach, hm!"

"I'm giving you an ulcer becomes I'm amusing? Death by laughter, I don't think it would be as nice as it sounds. Fallen over, you begin to spasm on the ground in amusement, clutching your stomach as you silently wheeze out your last breaths."

Deidara ran a hand through his hair- I noted that he no longer had his scope on- and fought to not laugh for a second- I must admit he was getting quicker at hiding his amusement. "That's rather morbid of you Tori. Humans will all die at some point; life is very fleeting, but brilliant in its existence- like art actually. Thus I'd rather die in a unique way then the boring old kunai through the throat, hm."

The comment hung in the air for a moment before I tentatively responded, "Life may be fleeting, but it is more brilliant than fleeting. Life, like art, is something you should treasure; so that even if you see it only once the memory of it should still bring a smile to your face.

I couldn't decide what emotion Deidara's expression was trying to convey. Maybe it was astonishment that I could actually think complex, theosophical thoughts. I waved my hand dismissively. "Never mind; let's go and enjoy the festival. Kay?" I gathered up the peas into a pile- I wasn't going to let them go uneaten.

Deidara shook his head. "Sure…WAITER!" He turned and signaled for the bill. She nodded and trotted towards the kitchen and pushed the swinging doors wide open. Why I was watching her I don't know, but it was a good thing- for us at least. Deidara turned back to me, visible eye wide open.

"You saw that too?" I asked, urgency seeping into my words.

"Yea, hm!"

When the waitress opened the door we'd caught of a person with a mask. A white mask with black tiger stripes painted on it. An ANBU member; and something that known about ANBU is they always travel in packs. Where there is one there will be more.

Options and scenarios started to fill my brain to the brink of its capacity. I stuffed the remaining peas in my mouth and chewed to keep myself distracted. All too soon the waitress returned to the dining floor and made a bee line towards us- she was almost running.

"Umm…here's you bill!" The waitress held out a receipt, smiling nicely.

"..."

No one made any movement to take the receipt.

Conspiratorially we glanced at each other- we needed more time before we exited. The waitress continued smiling politely, though confusment and bewilderment was now seeping into her expression. She still held out the bill, waiting for us to take it.

"Wait! You know what? I just LOVED the food here; I'm rather interested in sampling a dessert. Could you bring us the…the, "I glanced over at the wall behind the bar. "The third one down- I can't pronounce it." Unfortunately for the restaurant I don't read pig Latin.

"Oh…" She looked thoroughly befuddled now. "They'll be out in a couple of minutes." Briskly she walked, more like trotted actually, back to the safety of her kitchen. The chef was eyeing us suspiciously.

"Listen carefully, hm," We both unconsciously leaned in, "All you need to do is get out that back door, then take a left and you should see the emergency stair case if you keep going a bit. Just take the stairs all the way up to the roof and I'll meet you there soon enough-don't worry about me. Got that?" Deidara must be really paranoid to have taken note of where exits where when we came in here.

"Yea. Scream if you need help though- I'll be sure to bring down the entire tower if we're going to lose." Deidara smirked. I waited for a signal from Deidara, who had his eye brow furrowed together, concentrating on something in his left hand.

"On one, hm?" Deidara whispered to me, I nodded, "Three…two…one…!"

By two I'd already started scrambling out of my chair, which in the process of doing so I knocked over the chair entirely, I let out a squeal. Very stealthy of me. Every one in the restaurant turned to see what was causing a commotion. Most likely they were expecting a bar fight between two drunkards, instead they got to witness me in a demonstration of sheer flexibility as I avoiding the tumbling chair and then kind of flipped back up on to my feet.

Bleach white masks appeared at the kitchen door, before bursting out into the dining area. Old habits kicked in and I started focusing my reservoir –how ever small it may be- of chakra. Deidara, of course, was two steps ahead of me. He'd already tossed a smoke bomb- he must have a stock pile of these hidden away somewhere…maybe next to Sasori's cake mixes.

Covering my mouth with my long sleeve I ran toward the door in decreasing visibility. I heard movement behind me and one or two kunai clank together. I thumped into a window pane. The sounds of wheezing, coughing, tables and chairs being over turned filled the room. I took in as much air as my lungs could allow then started to feel along the wall for the door.

Once I found it I yanked it open and took in a new breath. For a moment I thought about helping Deidara until it reoccurred to me I'd probably just get in his way and ruin what ever plans he had. Running and hiding was what I was good at anyway.

"The roof! Gotta get to the roof!" I turned to my right took a step then remember I needed to go left. I swiveled around then went left. I was halfway done with my part of the plan. Colliding in to a few people, who I promptly shoved past, I made it to the door painted with the words 'Emergency Exit ONLY'. How befitting; I was in an emergency after all. Wrenching the heavy door open I slammed it closed behind me. Taking in a long breath I stared at how many floors were still above us- half a dozen at least. Shaking my head I puffed up my confidence and started darting up the stairs.

Bouncing would be a good way to describe my movement. I literally bounced up the stair case skipping two or three steps at a time- I must be related to the gazelles after all.

A few levels below me I heard some people shout and start stomping up the stairs after me though I could tell they weren't ANBU from their slow progress. How far behind they where I didn't know, and I didn't particularly care to find out how long it would take them to catch up to me. My legs where aching by the time I reached the door that lead to the roof.

Ramming into the door it burst open for me and I stumbled out into the crisp night air. A strong gust of wind knocked into me. The door flew shut with a deafening slam and I slid a few centimeters before I collided with a warm body. Strong, wiry arms wrapped themselves around my waist. "Maybe I shouldn't have complained about you finishing you're peas after all- you're way to light, hm." Deidara whispered into my ear with a slight nod.

"Deidara!" I exclaimed hugging him, "How'd you get here before me? I was even sprinting!" Maybe he teleported!

"S-class criminal remember? I'm good at these things, hm!"

"Oh that's right!" A second gust wind pounded against us, "Well then S-class criminal, what do we do now? We've kind of cornered ourselves up here!"

"No, not necessarily, hm. In fact we have a much wider range of options up here then any were else, hm!"

"What? Really?" I yelled over the bellowing wind.

In reply Deidara scooped me up into his arms. Then he leapt gracefully onto the wrought iron railing that kept tourists from falling off. Deidara momentarily faltered when the on going breeze made him wobble. I gripped his sleeve tensely; I was worrying that the smoke had gone to Deidara's head. What was he thinking? Use poor little Tori as a crashing landing pad?

"You're going to need to hold on Tori, hm!" Most of his words were lost in the wind.

"What? I can't hear you!" I called out, then I understood his intentions with a rush of horror "Wait, wait...NO, NO!"

Deidara jumped again…only this time he jumped down toward the crowded, poorly lit plaza below. I wound my arms around Deidara's neck, and took up a death grip on the back of his shirt. I was holding on so that I wouldn't be detached from him, not because I though I was in danger of being dropped. I had the fullest confidence that Deidara would never drop me on purpose… that is until he let go of me with one arm.

My stomach felt like it got flattened. I screamed.

Gravity started pulling on me, trying to wrench apart my death grip on Deidara's clothing. The uproar of wind stung my eyes so I squeezed them shut. Death seemed very intent on making my death some brutal, gory matter. Why couldn't I just die of old age? Why did I have to die by my brains spilling out on the cobble stones of some remote village in the middle of nowhere? Why…why…why…

**_POP_**

Plumes of smoke swirled around us- I could tell it was smoke since it smelled so bad. Deidara held on to me with both arms again and I let out a breath I hadn't noticed I'd been holding in the first place. The wind changed direction and instead of blowing into my face, the winds' current now slid past my face. I was falling sideways?

Daring to peek away from the crook of Deidara's neck I gaped I'd –well Deidara really- landed safely. Only not on the ground like I'd been hoping. Deidara's feet were firmly planted onto a white, smooth surface. Below us white masks, that dimly reflected the moonlight, stared up at us.

For a crazy moment I felt that we were falling again before my stomach lurched and we surged forward. Wide eyed I stared at the vast expanse of the night horizon before me.

After a second my brain admitted to what my senses had already realized.

I was flying.

-----End-----

----- Word Count: 3, 563 -----

A/N: My sincerest apologizes! I didn't mean, intend, or want for this chapter to take so long, but life was being bothersome. Also, I seem to have some innate fear of just sitting down and typing, which is the other half of why this was so delayed. Anyway...I hope this chapter was still enjoyable- tell me if it was…or if it needs improvement!

Oh …MERRYCHRISTMAS/ HAPPY ANYOTHER WINTER HOLIDAYS

-Terrier

Special thanks to….

Thumper

SanJosèdeSmartAlec

ART CAN GO BOOM!!HM!!!

Razzberryfigs

And any one else who reviewed

….For the encouragement while I was trying to get this chapter out!


	21. Chapter 21

--I got Captured by Deidara--

--By: Terrier.Z--

--Chapter Twenty-one: Falling into the sky--

Flight. It's something that everyone –farmers, merchants, kings, beggar, priests, and atheists- dream about. At one point in their lives they'll look up at the vast expanse of space above them, void of any movement- save for an occasional bird. Being weightless, free of any and all restraints to hold you back- flight. What does differ among people is how they imagine their ability to fly. Some people use contraptions to soar to the skies. Others flap their arms –personally I'd find that awkward- and swim through the air. Or maybe they sprout wings from their shoulder blades and propel themselves through the sky with huge feathery wings or great leathery bat wings. I, myself, fall into the last of the three, but Deidara didn't need to dream- he already could fly.

A gibbous moon, suspended by invisible wires, peeked out from behind the clouds. Wind was hurtling across the heavens in attempt to fling me off Deidara and fling both of us off. Terrified, I was clinging to Deidara in way I'd have found undignified in any other situation. But, you know what? I'd rather be undignified then splattered on the ground, dead, in a fashion horribly similar to an egg thrown with tremendous force towards a nice, sturdy brick wall. Yes, eggs and I are very alike when it comes to what happens when treated with violently furious forces.

Despite the whipping winds, Deidara was warm. Only a supernatural, unholy force could've ripped me away from Deidara at that moment. I was currently snuggled, no not snuggling…I was just clinging to the robe that just so happened to be attached to Deidara's se-nice, coincidently, warm chest. I had been just coincidently snuggled like that for the past half hour or so, ever since we took off…err… landed on the bird.

Sudden turbulence rocked Deidara's bird off course. I don't like this…what if I slip and fall off." I shuddered.

"You won't, hm. What type of man would I be if I let you fall off?"

"You'd be the 'very-poor-example-to-all-those-aspiring-young-male-kiddies-out-there' type of man."

"No," Deidara interjected, "I'd be something even worse then that, hm! I'd be a-"

"A horrendous abomination to all who possess a Y-chromosome and a definite candidate for eternal damnation in the deepest gorges of hell!" I exclaimed with just a little too much enthusiasm.

"Uhh…yes, one of those, hm." He confirmed with a nod of his head. Strands of his blonde hair tickled my face; I had to wrinkle my nose, about to sneeze.

Automatically, I shot back. "So you're a horrid abomination?"

"No, don't twist my words, I was just agreeing with you on your point that-"Deidara paused to think of how to words a sentence so that I could take any implied meanings from it.

"Sorry, sorry," I lightly apologized during his pause, "Reacting like that is just so habitual to me…it's really a very bad habit. Please just ignore comments like that, and just go about the conversation."

"Hate to break it to yah Tori, but we don't have many civilized conversations. We mostly only have arguments."

"Hey! That is defiantly not true…" My sentence died off as it hit me. We did only ever argue, just like a real couple! Hell, if people didn't know better, they'd easily mistake us for a couple just like the bathhouse attendant! "Then let us have a civilized conversation!"

"We can try at least, hm! Don't know how long the conversation would last though." Deidara said leaning into my ear.

Taking a deep breath I scooted out from Deidara's protective embrace and turned, awkwardly -for I was now cling onto the bird for dear life-, to face him. "Kind, sir, is you would be so kind as to up hold a refined and morally strict conversation with myself, I would be ever so grateful. So please, confided in me how many other individuals have had the delightful opportunity to come up here as well? Ten? Fifteen? Twenty-five hundred and thirty-one?

"You're the first conscious passenger I have ever had the 'delightful opportunity' to take flying, hm." Deidara replied in a pensive manner.

My eyebrow twitched. "Unconscious? Care to explain that further?"

"Sure I will explain it! Just for you Tori! If I have to hide a body or kidnap someone I've flown them away before, hm."

I couldn't tell is he was being a little or totally sarcastic. "Kidnapped?" Wait a minute he kidnapped me before, "So I…"

"Oh, yes…Come to think about it you were flown into this region by me, hm. You were asleep the entire time and you drooled on my travel cloak too! You must have been dreaming about something, or rather someone…" Deidara ended suggestively raising a brow.

"I was secretly waging war against you even while sleeping! You'd have had to an extra load of laundry then and spent more time away from my cave! Thus I'd have had more time to plan my escape!"

"If only you could fight as well as you make excuses…you could easily take over a country, hm." He said matter-o-factly

"Pffft. Lands boring! I wanna rule the skies!"

"But there is no one up here, hm!"

After a moment of serious thinking I replied "Think about it Deidara, you have accomplished what all those primitive mortal humans could only dream about for endless centuries. You can fly! And you can go flying any time of day or night that you want too!"

"So?"

"So…so…so what?" I waited for Deidara to make a point.

"If I am the only one u here it is kind of boring, hm."

"But I am here with you!" I retorted.

"I am talking about when you are not here. Then it is very boring and bleak, hm."

"But it should be a constant challenge to stay atop the bird."

Deidara gave me a funny look before saying, "It helps if you use chakra to stay on."

I cringed, remembering at one point it would have been basic instinct to me to latch on with chakra to every thing I touched .Taking a deep breath I started to intertwine my charka with the clay.

The silence stretched on for a minute or two. I felt a need to carry on a conversation- argumentative or civilized it didn't matter.

"Really, you've never taken someone up here? I can't believe that! It's great once you get use to it!" I spread my arms out and grinned into the wind.

The wind was rather loud, but I think I heard Deidara cover up a laugh and a moment later he said "Who would I take up? Sasori? Not likely, even if I could get him to come out of that shell of his, there's the little fact that he hates me, hm!"

Furrowing my brow I started thinking. Shell? Like that huge hump Sasori had was just a shell? Or was that just a figure of speech? Realizing I'd been thinking a bit too much I improvised with a thoughtful sounding question. "Well, didn't your fellow genins want to go flying?"

"My teammates had a running gag that'd I sabotage it so that they'd fall off, hm."

"Oh my god...You, as in the akatsuki member with explosives up his sleeves –literally-, had a genin team!" I burst out as if it where some magnificent epiphany. Well, to me at least, it actually was a sort of revelation; Deidara came from a _normal_ place. He was not from another dimension or assembled at some freak-assembly factory.

"Tori everyone has a genin team! International regulation requires it, hm."

"Yes, yes, but lots of people ignore the regulations! My village had-"Stopping dead, I wondered if I had been about to jeopardize my own village's security.

"Hidden Earth cheated the system on the occasion too, but for the most part we went by the book, hm.'

"You horrible criminals!" I exclaimed with mock sincerity. "Any way who was on your team? What were they like?"

"Uhh…Why do you want to know?"

"Curiosity." I replied truthfully.

"I'll tell only if you share too, hm."

Letting out a huff, I rolled my shoulders. Being up in the sky was awesome and all- seriously I was _flying_- but my muscles were getting cramped and my left leg was falling asleep. By the time we landed I was going to be so stiff; hopefully Deidara would be stiff too so it wouldn't be to embarrassing and we could all laugh together about it as we hobbled around trying to get our blood circulating again.

Eyeing Deidara with suspicious look I agreed, but made sure that he had to share first.

"Well, hm! What do you want to know?"

"Every minute detail of your life, but for now share about your genin team. What were…well…what _are_ their names?"

"Natsuko and Fuyuko, hm. They were a little off the wall in a different sense then you though, Tori. They pretended to be twins, always wore the same outfit. Both of them died their hair and wore it the same each day. They made me dress up too. Sasori thinks they're fashion might have rubbed off on me a bit though I don't see why.

I only picked up on the first part. "You had two girls on your team? That's…unusual."

"What don't tell me you are jealous now To-ri?"

"Jealous? Ha! Of What? Two wannabe twins who knew you maybe a decade age? I laugh at the very notion. Hahaha…."

Deidara burst out in real laughter. The bird suddenly didn't seem too steady as it swung through the sky. My stomach turned to butterflies and I reached for a handful of Deidara cloak to feel more secure. Deidara all of a sudden felt a little too smug.

My eyes narrowed. "Did you do that on purpose? If you did that was…that was incredibly corny and cliché. I keeled over giggling mid-sentence. If Deidara had not reached out and steadied me I would have tumbled, still giggling, off the edge and fallen into the sky.

When hauling me back to the center of the bird I took notice of Deidara's hand. Squinting in the poor light I scrutinized Deidara's palm, or more specifically the mouths making faces at me. There were no apparent seams indicating a surgeon had implanted the mouth…Deidara naturally had mouths on his hands. Maybe he came from that factory after all. The mouth waggled its tongue at me. Bewildered I jerked away.

A thought seeped into my mind and before I got a chance to screen it I spoke. "Can I poke it?"

"What?" Maybe he honestly could not hear me. Maybe he was being a jerk. Maybe he was trying to come up with a response.

"Never mind, never mind."

"No what did you say, hm? You look embarrassed now…"

"NOTHING! I said nothing at all. Don't think naughty thoughts Deidara!"

"I am just stating a fact. You look flustered. Come on what did you say, hm?"

"I said…look at the sun isn't it pretty?"

"The sun? Tori, it is the middle of the night."

"The sun can still be there! We just can't see it right now! But how do you know it is still not all pretty? Haha! You don't, that is what! Your just confused and not making sense! You should know that the sun never truly goes away just as the earth rotates we don't see it or something because we're facing the wrong direction. But, but the sun is still there!" It almost sounded like I was talking about myself as I rambled on.

"Damn it! All you girls are all insane! Insanity must come when a person lacks a Y chromosone, hm!" Deidara's facial expression was priceless- beyond compare- somewhere between an exasperated sigh and an angry laugh.

My heart violently quivered for a second before melting into a puddle. Deidara raised an eyebrow at my expression. Words –and facial expressions- failed me. I gave a bewildered Deidara the biggest bear hug my tiny skeletal frame could manage.

When I leaned back I noticed Deidara's suggestive smirk. "Am I that sexy, hm?"

"What, What? No…you're just...a participant in…the…" I mumbled out.

Why, oh why is it so difficult to be honest with myself? It is not like anyone can read my mind and know my inner thoughts- thankfully- so I should just admit 'it'. Deidara is attractive…very attractive. This is what's called being in denial is. It makes things very unnecessarily complicated and embarrassing.

I redirected my gaze, blushing and babbling some incoherent thoughts, toward a patch of towering clouds illuminated by the moonlight. Awkward…very awkward. The bird arched into a tight circle. My chakra let up for a second and I started to slip. In a moment of terror I buried myself back into Deidara's chest. He chuckled lightly and wound his arms around my waist pulling me closer. Realization dawned on me. He'd done that on purpose! I made the mistake of looking back up.

Our eyes locked. Something in the atmosphere changed- and not the weather atmosphere.

Gravity seemed to be pulling is together. Deidara's warm body was pressed up against me. If I had been anywhere else I probably would have ducked under his arms and ran off, but I was on a bird. A bird that was flying hundreds of feet in the air. I was trapped. My mind was too muddled to decided if that was good or bad thing.

My heart was betting off on a disjointed rhythm at a pace that was defiantly not healthy as Deidara slowly pressed his lips against mine. I leaned into the kiss, my head spinning. One of my hands attached itself to Deidara's hair and the other rested on Deidara's back. I'd kissed guys before, but not like this. Maybe it was altitude sickness. Deidara wandering attentions made his bird flutter about unguided for several minutes.

Inside I was going berserk when Deidara untangled himself from me- I couldn't sort through all of my thoughts and emotions. The distance didn't last long as Deidara wrapped an arm around my shoulders and rested his left cheek upon my head. I stifled giggle, but let myself smile until my face hurt and kept smiling some. I felt Deidara grinning into the top of my head as he held me.

--Skip ahead a few minutes--

We passed through yet another low cloud. Dew drops caught onto every surface. I was officially soaked. Opening my mouth to complain, a jolt coursed through my body leaving my blood sizzling and my hair standing on end. Searing pain, with which I was too familiar, burned my flesh. Brunt flesh has a horribly recognizable scent to it. Smell it once and you will never forget it.

"Oh shit!"

"What was that?" I asked worried about a new enemy attacking.

"The static in the nearby clouds- it has reached a rather dangerous level."

"But clay counteracts lightening!"

"Yeah, but it can still fry us, hm!" So I wouldn't be a flattened egg yolk I could be a flying fried egg yolk! Even better.

"Now then..." I began slowly, "What do you suppose we do?"

"We will have land, hm. Once on the ground we can head for the nearest town and formulate a new plan from there."

"Where is our final destination anyway?"

"No idea. Like I said, hm, we can go formulate a plan. I made this bird in a rush- I am surprised that it even lasted this long. This bird was designed to last for thirty minutes and we are now pushing on forty five minutes, hm. So get ready, because we are going to have to attempt a crash landing! "

"WHAT?!" I yelled. Partially because of the roaring winds and partially out of racing emotions. "DID IT EVER OCCUR TO YOU TO MENTION THIS TO ME, OR AT THE VERY LEAST, REMIND YOURSELF THAT THE BIRD WAS GOING TO DIE?"

"No, evidently not, hm!" Deidara replied calmly his brow furrowing, his grip on my arms tightening.

"WELL…WELL…THAT WAS A VERY BAD THINKING DEIDARA!"

"And that was very bad grammar Cla-Tori!"

"AND THAT WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A VERY BAD MEMORY!"

"No that would be an example of a bad short term memory, but a good long term memory!"

"THIS IS REALLY BESIDE THE POINT DEIDARA!"

"That is an odd statement coming from you of all people, hm!"

Grrr…

What ever emotion I was displaying on my face at the moment caused Deidara to look away over his shoulder. I still can't figure out if that was a bad or good thing. Maybe a mixture of both.

"WELL TRYING TO GET KILLED IS WAY OVERRATED!" I said while rubbing my hands then blowing into them. Deidara hugged me into his chest and then the bird started to dive. "IT HURTS A LOT AND IT IS DANGEROUS. OH, OH! AND IT HAPPENS TO BE VERY PAINFUL AND THE CHAN-"

Deidara quickly kissed my cheek and flashed me a brilliant, reassuring smile that sent my heart into a panic mode of another sort. Only a tinge of fear was left to torment my brain. If Deidara planned to get us killed, it at least seemed he planned to do it with me, but my confidence in Deidara exponentially multiplied. I couldn't help the silly grin that planted itself on my face.

The birds wings collapsed and we dove. Streaking at a breakneck speed, the lights speckling the earth below grew ever brighter. Momentarily, I wondered if he was going to pull a parachute or two out of his pocket. I doubt Deidara had any real control over his bird at this point. We were in freefall.

And even better than flying with Deidara, I decided still grinning from ear to ear, is freefalling Deidara, because in freefall Deidara was clinging onto to me as well.

--End --

--Word Count: 2,994 --

A/N: Yes, I am alive. I didn't wander off the edge of the map or meet some other unfortunate demise. As always this is not perfect. I have made mistakes, and I will go back and fix the ones that I find. : ) Tell me what you thought of this and be honest; I can handle critiques.

--UPDATE: As of July 9, 2008 this story is going on **hiatus**. Writing for me is entertainment- not a chore. And this has become a chore to update. Thus I probably won't update. I should say 'dicontinued', but who knows what I will fell like in the future? To those who have been faithfully waiting for updates thankyou and a sincere sorry.

Mentally I feel much different from when I started this and I don't connect with the story like I use to. So even if I did write I feel it wouldn't be as good- thanks to this years English teacher my style is different too. I'm not going to dumb down, or attempt too dumb down, my writing so it sound like a person who I was a year ago.

**_DO NOT_** review in response to this. I will be angry if you do. Reviews are meant to critique a writer- not beg and ask for updates. If you review in response to this chapter that is ok- and remember DO NOT review in response to this update on the story's status. Thank you for your support and sorry that it is going to be left like this.--

-Terrier.z


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